"He's sure a problem. Wal, we'll see," replied Bostil, soberly.
And they went out to find Slone waiting. Then Bostil called his guests, and with Slone also accompanying him, went home.
Bostil threw off the recurring gloom, and he was good-natured when Lucy came to his room to say good night. He knew she had come to say more than that.
"Hello, daughter!" he said. "Aren't you ashamed to come facin' your poor old dad?"
Lucy eyed him dubiously. "No, I'm not ashamed. But I'm still a little—afraid."
"I'm harmless, child. I'm a broken man. When you put Sage King out of the race you broke me."
"Dad, that isn't funny. You make me an—angry when you hint I did something underhand."
"Wal, you didn't consult ME."
"I thought it would be fun to surprise you all. Why, you're always delighted with a surprise in a race, unless it beats you.... Then, it was my great and only chance to get out in front of the King. Oh, how grand it'd have been! Dad, I'd have run away from him the same as the others!"
"No, you wouldn't," declared Bostil.