“Lovers of a bow or arrow,” said Ralph, who was well up in his Greek. “What do they do?”
“Oh, they have regular shooting-matches, drills and parades, and now and then a hunt and a camp in the woods.”
“They can’t hit any thing with those bows, of course.”
“Yes, I believe they can,” replied Mr. Farnsworth. “I am told that when they go on a hunt, they are as sure of coming back full-handed as those who use guns. After passing in review before the trustees, they are to have a drill in the park. I see that a good many of the guests are getting ready to go down, and if you would like to see it, we will go also.”
Tom and his cousins had found reason to change some of their opinions during the last few minutes, and that was just what Mr. Farnsworth desired. He had talked with that very end in view—to make them see that New London was not the only place in the world in which boys could enjoy themselves, and to prepare them for the change which he and his brother-in-law, Tom’s father, intended to make that very summer. They were anxious to get their boys away from New London, for it was full of temptations which Tom and his cousins found it hard to resist. They were learning to think more of billiards than they did of their books, and they had even been known to roll ten-pins for soda water. Soda water wasn’t hurtful, and neither were ten-pins nor billiards; but the conditions under which the one was imbibed and the others played certainly were. In Mount Airy there was none of that sort of thing. Of course there were billiard rooms and ten-pin alleys there, but they belonged to the hotels, and were kept for the exclusive use of the guests. The men who had just marched up the street owned all the land for miles around, and they would not sell a foot of it. They were willing to lease it for a term of years, but before they did so, they wanted to know all about the man who applied for the lease, and the business he intended to follow while he remained in town. In that way they made the society of the village just what they wanted it to be. It is true that some objectionable characters now and then secured a temporary foothold there, but as soon as they were detected, they were “bounced” without ceremony.
Mr. Farnsworth and Mr. Bigden thought Mount Airy would be just the place for their boys, but the latter would have raised the most decided objections if the subject of a change of residence had been broached to them before they witnessed that parade, and learned something about the men and boys who composed it.
“I’ll tell you what’s a fact!” said Tom, as he and his cousins walked with Mr. Farnsworth toward the park where the drill was to be held. “Uncle Alfred was right when he said that we would not find many country bumpkins here. Those bowmen must have lots of fun. Do you and father really intend to come here to live?” he added, turning to Mr. Farnsworth.
“We have been thinking and talking about it for a long time,” was the answer.
“All right. I am in favor of it,” said Tom. “I wonder if we could get into that company of archers!”
“Of course we could,” said Loren.