“It seems you did catch some fish after all, Perk,” he said in answer; “and I must say they do smell appetizing,” but that was the extent of his remarks, nor did either of the boys attempt to urge him to continue talking.
Perk was full of consideration for Amos; on his part possibly Wee Willie may not have been quite so solicitous; because curiosity was one of the tall chum’s weak points, so that he found himself wondering more and more what all this mystery, connected with the Codling boy, could signify.
Supper time found them gathering around the camp spread. A bountiful meal had been prepared, such as might make the eyes of the average hungry boy fairly glisten with satisfaction.
Amos ate very little. He seemed to have quite lost his usually keen appreciation for Perk’s cooking, a fact that worried the other considerably; for he did his best to press this thing and that on the other, though only to be greeted again with a gentle but positive refusal.
“It’s awfully kind of you to offer me the choice bits, Perk,” Amos would say, “and I’m sure everything does you great credit. I’d be only too glad to eat like Wee Willie here, if only I felt hungry; but—well, somehow I don’t seem to care much for anything to-night—I can’t force myself, you know.”
But he did keep on sitting there, and listening to the merry chatter and badinage of his three more boisterous chums, though frequently Elmer could see that his eyes had a far-away look about them, and the old peaked expression would struggle back to his face once more.
The boys had decided to sit around the fire that night, and sing some of their school songs; but with Amos in this strange humor of course they could not count on him to join in; and without his fine tenor the singing was apt to prove only mediocre, so they gave it up.
“Perhaps by to-morrow night things may have changed for the better, and we can try it out then,” Elmer remarked, after Amos had withdrawn, under the plea that his head ached, and he thought he had better turn in early.
So, instead, the other three sat there and talked in low tones as time passed, with the night growing older. Perk often glanced quickly around at the somber woods. Elmer could easily interpret that questioning look, and knew that the other was wondering whether they might not have another visit from the mysterious tramp whom they had alarmed by their coming, and yet who declined to leave the spot, while some of his personal property remained unrecovered.
There was no use trying to reassure Perk, for he happened to be more or less timid by nature. The door had been made additionally secure during the day just passed, so that no matter if the hobo did return he could not enter. As for his showing ill humor in any way, such as trying to set fire to the old cabin, Elmer would not allow such a thought to get a lodging in his mind.