“Do I remember?” said Bill. “How could I forget? You fellows had better be up pretty early tomorrow.”
“You bet we will, Captain,” said Bob.
Then Hal said, “I guess I’d better be going. My mother will be wondering if I’m never coming home. I hope that I can come with you tomorrow.”
“Hope you can come with us? Why, of course you’re coming with us. We won’t go without you,” Captain Bill said explosively.
“I’ll see,” said Hal. “I’ll ask Mother. Maybe she’ll let me go. But anyway, I’ll let you know. I’ll put up the flags in the workshop window. All right?”
“Sure,” said Bob, and walked out with Hal. He saw the boy to the door, and warned him again to be sure to come.
When the two boys had left the room, Captain Bill turned to his sister. “Say,” he said, “do you think that Hal’s mother really won’t let him come, or is the boy looking for a way out?”
“Why, what do you mean?” asked Mrs. Martin.
“Just this,” said Bill, and puffed vigorously on his pipe. “I’ve been watching the boy, and I think that he’s afraid.”
“Afraid of what?”