"It is ready and waiting for thee," said a pleasant voice behind them; and turning quickly, our lad beheld for the first time by daylight the white man who had treated him with so much kindness the evening before.
CHAPTER VIII.
CLIFF CASTLE AND ITS OCCUPANTS.
"Oh, sir," cried Todd, "I am indeed grateful to you for all your kindness to me!"
"And I," replied the old gentleman, "am more than pleased to see thee so evidently restored to health. At the same time I sincerely welcome thee to the Valley of Peace, which, with all it contains, is at thy service. May I introduce myself as Rufus Plant, at one time professor of ethnology in Calvert College, but now and for many years resident of this valley?"
"Calvert College, did you say, sir? Why, that is the college where my brother Mortimer Chalmers is professor of geology, and the one that I am to enter next fall. It seems to me, too, that I have heard your name before. Wasn't there something strange about your dis— I mean, I thought you were killed by Indians."
"Doubtless that was the report, and it might well be credited," replied the Professor. "But tell me, lad, is thy name Chalmers?"
"Yes, sir—Todd Chalmers, of Baltimore."
"Can it be that thee is a relative of my old friend Carey Chalmers?"
"He was my father."