"Very well. Now, Leon, don't go away to-night."
The boy made no reply.
"Do you understand me?" asked his father.
"Yes, sir," said Leon.
Mr. Parker, being satisfied with the answer, followed his wife out of the front door, and the boys stood at the window and saw them go out of the gate and turn down the street.
When they were out of sight, Leon sprang into the middle of the room and made an awkward attempt to dance a hornpipe.
"I didn't promise him that I wouldn't go away to-night, did I?" said he gleefully. "I simply told him that I understood his order. If he thinks that a boy of my age is going to be confined in a gloomy school-room all day, and then shut up in the yard at night, as if he were an unruly dog, he will find he has made a big mistake. Now, I'll go down and get my gun the first thing I do."
"Don't be in a hurry," said the cautious Frank. "Something might happen to bring your father back here, and if he should chance to go to that drawer, our cake would be all dough. Don't touch the gun until we are ready to start. It would never do for us to be caught now, after we have carried out all our plans so nicely."
"Shall we leave a note, telling them why we ran away?" asked Leon.
"No, sir. If they are anxious to know, all they have to do is to think of the manner in which they have treated us. I wish it would hurry up and grow dark."