"If you don't stop soon, young man, I may change my mind and back out altogether."
But Dick, who knew well enough that his father's promise, once given, was never gone back on, thanked him and then danced joyously out into the street again.
"What was the matter, Dick?" asked Tom Reade, curiously, when he rejoined his chums. "Did you forget something?"
"There was something I wanted to talk to dad about," responded Dick evasively.
"What——" began Dan, without an inkling of a true guess.
"Be still, you Danny boy," ordered Dave Darrin bluntly. "The family affairs of the Prescotts should be no concern of yours."
Though, very much to his regret, Dick did not possess a watch, he nevertheless managed to keep very good track of the time. Something more than an hour later he led the fellows around to his own corner. He was just in time to see Mr. Prescott returning.
"You stay here a minute," young Prescott directed, then set off at a run to join his father.
"Did you—did you——" he panted, as he reached his parent.
"Yes," replied the head of the family, a bit stiffly. "I made a nuisance of myself over at the Dalzells. I talked and talked. They talked, too, and both Mr. and Mrs. Dalzell asked me if I thought it at all safe to let such a busy little gang of hooligans as you boys go off on such an expedition. All I could say was to point out the fact that I had given you leave. Well, Mr. and Mrs. Dalzell gave their consent to Dan's going. So now I hope you're satisfied."