A merry jingling of sleigh bells reached him, as he approached the lake, in the road which turned there and passed along the lakeside toward the Pavilion; the sleigh was coming up behind him, and it seemed that Gunn would be run down by the horses.
He gave a skipping jump which must have surprised him and landed in the snow at the side of the road.
“Ahum! Dear me! How very reckless! A lot of hoodlums from the village, no doubt; and very probably intoxicated. What is the—er—world coming to?”
Then the colonel discovered that the sleigh was filled with young fellows who were, nearly all of them, in the Fardale uniform. They had been laughing; but they drew up beside him and fell silent with respect.
This show of deference pleased him; he was especially gratified when he saw their hands go up in the military salute.
“Are you going far, Colonel Gunn?” he was asked, with politeness.
“Ahum! Er—that is to say——”
They were leaping out of the sleigh, surrounding him.
“We are out for a drive down the road here; beautiful night, isn’t it? If you’re going far, we offer you a seat in with us. The sleighing is delightful. It will honor us.”
Colonel Gunn was flattered and flustered.