When Frank heard the roar of poor “Bengalee” in his cage, he was so terrified that he began to run as fast as he could, and he did not stop to look around until he reached the top of the hill, well nigh a quarter of a mile from the white tents.
His heart was beating so fast that he could scarcely count the strokes of the bell in the church tower. It was striking for twelve of the clock. A feeling of dismay came upon the lad as he counted out the number of twelve. He had been away from his duty three hours. In one hour dinner would be ready. Kate would be home from school. Poor Kate! Frank’s face grew warm and warmer with a wholesome shame under the vivid recollection of the manner in which, and the place where, he had left her to wait in the burning sun for his return.
As he went onward in the direction of his home, he looked frequently at the windows, half expecting to see his mother looking out. But no; she was occupied within doors, and not one of the household knew that Frank had neglected his duty.
“I don’t care, anyway,” he thought, and he went on thinking after this fashion. “It isn’t at all the kind of weather to be cooped up hoeing corn. I’d rather earn money some easier way. It’s jolly to be a circusboy, I know. I wonder why Harry Cornwall doesn’t like it.”
Nevertheless, Frank took his hoe from the place where Kate had left it for him, and fell to work, resolved to hoe “like anything” until it should be time for dinner.
Chapter II.
Harry Cornwall ran out from the tent to watch the flight of Frank Hallock, who ran, frightened by the tiger, and as the boy disappeared from sight over the hilltop, Harry determined to try and find time enough that very evening to run up to the big house and tell all he knew about the necklace that somebody had tucked into the pocket of the waistcoat that fell to Jack Flibbit after the great fire. Harry could not persuade himself that two little girls in the land had put two necklaces, with the same mark, into pockets to go “Out West.” Harry’s name was called in a loud tone, and he ran to obey the call at about the same moment that Frank Hallock reached the cornfield and picked up his hoe.
Frank counted the hills and the rows, and scarcely looked up until the sound of the one o’clock train, on the New Haven Railroad, passing through the town, told to him how short the hour had been.
Then Neptune came home. Frank knew that Kate was on the carriage-road that ran past the field, but he would not look up, not even when he heard her cheery call to him; so Neptune and Kate went on their way, and presently the welcome sound of the dinner-horn was heard.