On their arrival at the school, the automobile was run into the garage, and then a general move was made for their bedrooms. While the doctor explained matters to his wife, Hal and the two instructors had gone to bed.
The noise Hal made in entering the dormitory and walking along the hall awakened Bun Bowler, who was sleeping with his brother Frank. Eagerly Bun slipped out of bed and peeped through the slightly opened doorway.
“Oh, they’ve brought Hal back,” he said to himself. “I wonder where they found him.”
Had it been Frank he would have yelled out a congratulation, in spite of the lateness of the hour and the rule requiring quiet in the dormitory, but Byron crept quietly back into the bed. As he crawled over his brother—Frank always insisted on sleeping in front—the latter gave a start and a jerk and cried in a voice of terror:
“I won’t do it any more! I won’t do it any more! I won’t threaten to clout anybody in the jaw—never, never again!”
CHAPTER XI
CONVINCING BAD.
The next day was one of rejoicing among the Boy Scouts of Lakefarm. If there had been any doubt concerning the popularity of Hal Kenyon, that doubt surely was gone now. The fact that his parents were poor made no difference with any of his schoolmates. Indeed, Dr. Byrd would not have permitted any feeling against Hal on this account. There would have been trouble instantly.
The news of Hal’s return spread rapidly soon after sun-up. It was communicated principally in the wash room, accompanied by a wild rumor of the manner in which he had been entrapped. Some one started a story that Hal had been a prisoner in a robbers’ cave and was rescued only with much daring and danger. Frank’s connection with the real adventure remained in darkness. Nobody, except Hal, Dr. Byrd, Mrs. Byrd, the two instructors, Pepper, and Frank himself, knew anything about it, and there had been a general agreement that it was wisest to keep the matter secret.
Hal and Frank both slept late that morning. The doctor gave orders that they should not be awakened until they had “had their sleep out.” While the others were eating breakfast, Mr. Frankland went to Frank’s room and found the latter dressing. The boy’s eyes were red and swollen from weeping. He searched the face of the instructor carefully, and then inquired, with trembling voice:
“Did you find him, Mr. Frankland?”