“S-sh!” cautioned Dan. “Not a word above a whisker!”
“But look here, Dan,” said Nelson a bit anxiously, “aren’t you afraid the old duffer’ll get hurt? Maybe the horse will run away!”
“Have you seen the horse?” asked Dan. “Now keep a watch up the street and don’t forget to call me if he comes. I wouldn’t miss it for a thousand dollars!”
“Just the same, I don’t quite like it,” said Nelson when Dan had disappeared.
“And no dinner!” moaned Tom. “Why couldn’t we let the old idiot alone until we’d had something to eat?”
Dan returned with the knapsacks and they awaited developments. Presently Bob joined them, his hands bearing eloquent proof of his recent occupation. They didn’t tell Bob what was up for fear he might forbid them to go on with it. Ten minutes passed. The dinner gong rang and Tom looked restlessly and mutinous.
“I’m going to have my dinner,” he muttered.
“All right,” answered Bob; “let’s go in.”
“Oh, just wait a minute,” begged Dan. “We’ll have more appetite if we sit here awhile longer. By the way, we saw our old friend, Mr. Abner Wade, awhile ago, Bob.”