CHAPTER XXI
TO FLATHEAD BY AIRSHIP AGAIN.
Dr. Byrd said little to the boys that evening. He greeted them quietly, but not severely, as they arrived, looked them over to see that they were sound and unhurt by exposure, hustled them to the bath and later to supper, and then sent them to bed.
The boys wondered a little over this. Naturally, they all expected to be called on the carpet, lectured, and then punished. But the doctor’s tone of voice was almost reassuring. He suspected that they had been punished enough and that if a boy won’t think after such an experience, there isn’t much hope for him. He understood the motive that had caused Hal to run away, as well as the sentiments that had moved the other boys to accompany him.
Next morning, however, Dr. Byrd called the five truants into his office. He asked them to be seated, and then turned to his desk, at which he busied himself ten or fifteen minutes. At the end of this period Mr. Miles entered and took a seat near the doctor, who now wheeled around in his chair and gave attention to his callers.
“Well, boys,” he said slowly, wiping his glasses with his handkerchief, “what do you think of yourselves? Are you proud of what you have done, or do you agree that such an escapade deserves something of a reckoning?” he added as he squinted with one eye through one of the lenses to see if it was clear.
Each of the boys waited for one of the others to answer. As the doctor had addressed none of them individually, now was a good opportunity for them to maintain the silence so often urged upon the young in the presence of older persons.
“I see you’re not very proud of what you’ve done,” continued the doctor. “And I’m not particularly proud of you either, although you conducted yourselves well after you found yourselves in a bad fix, I understand. Why did you decide to run away, Hal?”
Kenyon hung his head. Then he stole a glance at the aviator, who reassured him with a kindly look.
“Mr. Miles thought I was a thief, and I couldn’t prove I wasn’t,” Hal answered.
“You found a nugget in the cave, did you?”