He didn’t finish his sentence. Hal had been standing nervously at the edge of the group, waiting for a chance to break in. Now he broke in, chance or no chance. “I’ve got to go, really I do,” he said. “My mother will be worried. Thanks a lot for everything. Goodnight.” He broke into a run, and disappeared into the darkness.
Captain Bill looked after him. “Say, what’s the matter with Hal? What was his hurry?”
Bob was a little embarrassed. He hated to talk disloyally about his friend, but he felt that Bill ought to know. “I guess he’s afraid to be out so late alone. You see, Hal’s pretty much of a baby yet. He’s afraid of a lot of things he oughtn’t to be afraid of, and he’s always afraid that his mother’s worrying about him.”
“I think that it’s his mother’s fault,” said Mrs. Martin. “She’s pampered him and spoiled him until he can’t do a thing or think for himself. She just didn’t know that the best way to rear a boy is to give him plenty to eat and a place to sleep and let him take care of himself.”
“That’s why I turned out so well, isn’t it, Mother?” said Bob.
His mother laughed. “Oh, I don’t know about you. You must be the exception that proves the rule.”
Bill spoke suddenly. “There ought to be something done about Hal,” he said. “I like that boy. He’s got the stuff there, but he needs something to bring it out. How about it, Bob?”
“I think so, Bill,” said Bob, pleased that Captain Bill had seen so much in his friend. “I’ve been trying to help Hal, and I think that he’s getting much better than he was, don’t you, Mother?”
“I have noticed an improvement,” said Mrs. Martin.
“There’ll be more before I go home,” said Captain Bill.