Mr. Pratt was nowhere to be seen, and Tom whispered,—
"You stay here while I run in an' get it. Mother may be mad if she sees you hangin' 'round after father has blowed us up so much for lettin' you go away."
Jack hid himself behind a clump of hollyhocks, and in a few moments Tom came back with two papers which showed signs of having been subjected to hard usage.
"Put 'em in your pocket, an' let's skip."
Jack was about to act upon this suggestion when it suddenly occurred to him that, in the excitement caused by learning Louis' mother was searching for her child, he had forgotten the reason for his visit.
"I've got to see your father before I leave," he said.
"What for? He won't be very pleasant after losin' all the money the captain's wife was willin' to pay."
"I can't help that. I'm here with a message from Aunt Nancy, an' it must be delivered."
"I guess you'll find him down in the potato patch, but I ain't fool enough to go with you. Hurry up, an' I'll see you on the road, for I reckon you count on goin' back to that Aunt Nancy."
"Of course, an' I must be there as soon as possible."