They all assented.
“Well, we couldn’t find wagons enough here to carry us back if we had the money to hire them; we couldn’t pay our way on the cars if we were to cross the river; so I don’t know of any better plan than to go as we came,—on foot. We have enough money to pay our passage across the river, and once on the other side we can get up to Riverpark easily enough. It will be a long march and a tiresome one, and will take the better part of the day; but it’s the best plan I can think of. If anybody has a better one, let’s have it.”
No one could suggest anything better; and, after a minute’s awkward pause, Brightly continued, somewhat hesitatingly at first, but with increasing firmness and earnestness,—
“Now that I’m talking, I may as well tell you what I think of this whole business. I think not only that we’ve made fools of ourselves, but that it’s a good deal worse than that; and I believe we’ve got some pretty serious matters to face when we get back. I don’t know what the colonel will do. I shouldn’t be surprised at anything in the way of punishment; I’m sure we deserve all that we shall get. But if he lets us stay at Riverpark, I think we ought to be very thankful, and very humble, too, and take whatever comes to us, and bear it like men. We’ve treated the colonel very shabbily; now let’s try and make it up to him as fast and as far as we can.”
Everybody looked a little ashamed when the speaker stopped, but no one said a word.
“And before we go,” continued Brightly, “I think it’s due to these kind people who have fed and sheltered us, that we should express our thanks to them in some formal way. They’ve certainly treated us very kindly indeed.”
“That’s so,” said Drake, earnestly; “and I move that Bright and Glück go over to the house an’ tell ’em so, as the opinion of the crowd.”
The motion was unanimously carried.
“You can’t make it any too strong, fellows,” said one of the party; “tell ’em we’ll never forget it of ’em, never.”
When the two boys came back there were traces of tears in their eyes. Something that the good people had said or done had made them cry.