“Given ten minutes more, and well be shaking his hand,” affirmed the guide, positively.
“Good old Perk!” Wee Willie could be heard saying over and over, while his freckled face fairly beamed with satisfaction.
It spoke well for the sunny disposition of the rotund comrade when his mates displayed such enthusiasm over the prospect of once again coming in personal contact with him. And it must be remembered that the separation was only a matter of less than twenty hours; whereas from the wild ebullition of their feelings one might fancy Perk had been gone for ages and ages.
Perhaps in times past the queer sound of that battered horn which was Perk’s especial delight may have jarred on the nerves of Wee Willie, for it certainly produced what might be called a discordant series of notes; but just now he reckoned them the sweetest chords he had ever known; which only goes to prove the truth of that old saying to the effect that “circumstances alter cases.”
Suddenly there was a startling movement, and some object broke from the heavy brush to one side of them, dashing away with great speed; while the trio of boys stood there as if rooted to the spot.
CHAPTER XXII
NOT SO SLOW, AFTER ALL
“Hello! hello! Perk!” called the long-legged chum.
“Hi! there, Wee Willie! you’ve been an awful long time coming!” said a voice so close by that it thrilled them through and through.
They instinctively started on a gallop, broke past a screen of bushes that lay in a little opening of the timber, and there saw Perk, standing with outstretched hand, and a wide grin ornamenting his glowing face.
Elmer actually threw his arms about the boy, he was so wildly glad to see him once more safe and sound; Wee Willie, too, did not seem ashamed to follow suit; while Amos less familiar, seemed satisfied to pounce upon one of Perk’s chubby hands, which he started working up and down as methodically as though he had been a milkman, as the tall chum said, and was schooled in the method of adding to the daily output of the herd by means of the barn pump.