“When do you calculate to leave St. Joe?”
“That is as Mr. Burnett decides,” answered Tom, turning to his employer.
“How soon do you calc’late to start, colonel?” asked Peter Brush.
“In two or three days,” said Burnett, briefly.
Tom was rather surprised. He had not anticipated that Mr. Burnett meant to remain so long at St. Joe.
“I guess I’ll wait for you,” said Brush. “I did expect to go sooner, but I ain’t in such a mighty hurry. I’d rather wait a little longer for the sake of having good company.”
Tom smiled, and nodded in acknowledgment of the compliment. He felt glad that the hunter was to be with them, and Brush so understood it. If he had looked at Percy Burnett, he would have seen by the expression on that gentleman’s face that he had an entirely different feeling on the subject.
No sooner had Peter Brush left the room than Percy Burnett turned toward our hero, and said, abruptly:
“You seem determined to annoy me.”
“What’s the matter?” asked Tom, astonished.