Each was sure that the fiery Colonel would recognize them, and pour forth his vials of wrath upon their heads.
But the gathering dusk and the Colonel’s short-sightedness came to their rescue.
“What’s the matter—can’t you speak?” demanded Colonel Ellison, impatiently.
“No, we haven’t seen any rascally boys,” answered Jack, in a voice so unlike his own that Joe narrowly escaped a laugh.
Colonel Ellison did not seem to notice the evasion of his question.
“A party of young scoundrels and a rascally tutor, whom I recently discharged, had the audacity to induce my nephew to run away,” he stormed, angrily.
Jack and Joe exchanged swift glances at this piece of news.
“And it will go hard with them,” went on the Colonel, with a vigorous movement of his arm. “How far is the river from here?”
“Only a short distance,” answered Jack, scorning, even at the risk of possible consequences, to mislead the angry gentleman.
“But monsieur the Colonel,” put in the chauffeur, eagerly, “ze boat-house must be near. Ma foi! ze man just back, he see it pass in ze afternoon, en route; and we shall catch ze scamp before it makes ze night. Ha! Vat ees this?”