“Noon!” he exclaimed, as the whistle blew. “What a short morning this has been!”
As soon as Billy could get to Uncle John he told him where he had been.
“I thought,” said Uncle John, nodding his head, “that that chance would come some day, Billy. Watch for a chance, and it generally comes.”
Not until Billy went out the gate that night did he have an opportunity to speak to Thomas Murphy.
He let Uncle John go on a few steps ahead, then he said in a low tone:
“Mr. Murphy, there were volcanoes out there J-ologists say so; but they’re dead; been dead thousands of years.”
Thomas Murphy, listening with eager ears, looked gravely into Billy’s eyes.
“All of ’em, everywhere?” he asked earnestly.
“Those old volcanoes,” answered Billy, so impressed with Tom’s seriousness that he made each word stand out by itself, “are all dead, everywhere.”
The look of relief that came into Tom’s face almost startled Billy.