“No, I can give you my answer now without any hesitation. It is quite out of the question, Pendarve. Even if it were a gold mine, I should say—”
“Don’t decide rashly, old fellow,” said the Colonel. “A few days ago I should have answered you in the same way, if you had come and proposed the thing; but since I have thought it over, I have quite changed my mind. Do the same, and let me hear how you have concluded to act at the end of a week.”
“But I tell you, my dear sir—”
“Yes; tell me at the end of a week,” said the Colonel, smiling. “What do you think of these fellows beginning to investigate the mine for themselves? There, Gwyn, you need not stay for me if you want a run with Joe: I’ll walk home alone.”
“Father is not well enough to be left,” said Joe.
“Yes, yes, my boy,” cried the Major; “I don’t want to make a prisoner of you. Go and have a run with Gwyn, by all means.”
The boys required no second permission, but were off at once, their fathers hearing the beat of their feet on the road directly after.
“Where have they gone?” said the Major, turning on his couch.
“Over to the mouth of the mine, for certain,” said the Colonel.
He was quite right. There was no proposal made by either of the boys, but as soon as they were outside the gate, they started off together at a rapid trot, making straight for the Colonel’s land, springing over the stone-wall, and threading their way amongst stones and bushes, till they were compelled by the rough ground to go more slowly.