Part 11 (1/2)
”Oh, I don't want you to urge the Dalzells very hard, dad. I'm not just asking that. But I think, if you talk it over with them, perhaps----”
”It's a queer bit of business for me,” remarked Mr. Prescott.
”But will you go, Dad? Please.”
”Yes,” agreed Mr. Prescott very reluctantly.
”Can you--can you just as easily go soon, dad?”
”Ye-es. I'll go now. It's such a queer piece of business that I shall be thankful when I have it over with.”
”And you'll say the best word you can think of, won't you?”
”If you don't stop soon, young man, I may change my mind and back out altogether.”
But d.i.c.k, who knew well enough that his father's promise, once given, was never gone back on, thanked him and then danced joyously out into the street again.
”What was the matter, d.i.c.k?” asked Tom Reade, curiously, when he rejoined his chums. ”Did you forget something?”
”There was something I wanted to talk to dad about,” responded d.i.c.k evasively.
”What----” began Dan, without an inkling of a true guess.
”Be still, you Danny boy,” ordered Dave Darrin bluntly. ”The family affairs of the Prescotts should be no concern of yours.”
Though, very much to his regret, d.i.c.k did not possess a watch, he nevertheless managed to keep very good track of the time. Something more than an hour later he led the fellows around to his own corner. He was just in time to see Mr. Prescott returning.
”You stay here a minute,” young Prescott directed, then set off at a run to join his father.
”Did you--did you----” he panted, as he reached his parent.
”Yes,” replied the head of the family, a bit stiffly. ”I made a nuisance of myself over at the Dalzells. I talked and talked. They talked, too, and both Mr. and Mrs. Dalzell asked me if I thought it at all safe to let such a busy little gang of hooligans as you boys go off on such an expedition. All I could say was to point out the fact that I had given you leave. Well, Mr. and Mrs. Dalzell gave their consent to Dan's going.
So now I hope you're satisfied.”
”Satisfied? Oh, dad, thank you! This is the best Christmas ever. Thank you! Whoop!”
With that young Prescott executed an about-face and went charging back to where he had left his chums.
”Are you crazy?” demanded Dan curiously.
”No; but you'll be, in a minute. Dad went over to see your folks, and they've given in. You're to go with us.”
CHAPTER VI
THE LOG CABIN'S TELLTALE HEARTH
”Have we got everything?” demanded Tom Reade anxiously.