Mrs. Cozzens hurried laughingly in with the teaspoons, and the boys made short work of the coffee.
“Supper’ll be ready in a little while,” said their host. “Did you spread your things out around the stove upstairs?”
“Yes, sir. They’ll be dry before very long, I guess,” Dan answered.
“I think we’d ought to get on,” said Bob half-heartedly.
“Get on? Not while this storm lasts,” replied Mr. Cozzens. “Why, you’d like as not walk into the bay! It’s as black as pitch outdoors. And that reminds me I ought to be out in the stable this minute.”
“Let me help, sir?” said Nelson, jumping up. Mr. Cozzens pressed him gently but firmly back into his chair.
“You sit right there, my boy, until supper’s ready. After supper we’ll talk about your going on. Meanwhile you’ll find books and papers around if you look, and if you smoke——?”
“No, sir,” answered Bob. “We’ll do finely, sir.”
“Don’t smoke, eh? Well, you’re sensible. Do without it as long as you can. When you can’t, smoke a pipe and leave cigarettes alone. That’s my advice, and ’tain’t so many years since I was a boy myself.”