“You don’t answer. What’s the matter? Has anything happened? Where are
the boys?”
Again the unfortunate Corbet was unable to answer.
“It’s a plain question enough,” said Ferguson, “and you’ve _got_ to
answer it somehow--for I’m going down Nova Scotia way, and may see
some of their parents. So, own up, old man. What have you done with the
boys?”
At this moment a happy thought occurred to the bewildered Corbet. It
came like a ray of light in deep darkness.
“Wal,” said he, “you see, capting--you know--them thar youngsters, you
know--they--they’ve--got up a kine o’ secret society--you know--they
told you--themselves--you know--and they’re all together--you know--and
it’s a matter--of importance--to them--and to me--to--to--to--to keep
the secret, you know. O, I do assure you it’s all right--they’re all
safe an sound--an enjyin life; good quarters, plenty to eat an drink, an
ole Solomon a doin of the cookin--but it’s a great secret, you know--and
so--you see--capting--the fact is--I’d a _leetle_ rayther not let on
where they air jest now.”
Captain Corbet spoke this in a confused way, and in a mild, deprecatory
manner. Ferguson listened attentively to his words, and then stood
looking at him for some time with an air of dissatisfaction.
“Well--old man,” said he, “I do remember some nonsense of theirs about a
secret society; but you haven’t answered my question; you evade it; and
what their secret society has to do with their present situation I don’t
quite begin to make out. The fact is, I don’t consider you a fit
guardian for such boys as they are, and my opinion all along has been
that they’ll all get into mischief. I’m afraid that they’re in some fix
at this particular moment, and that you have left them at the very time
that you ought to be standin by them. If you don’t choose to tell me, I
can’t make you--only I warn you, if the boys air in a fix it’s best to
let me know, for I can go and help them sooner and better than you can.”
“O, but railly, now--now--railly, capting,” said Corbet, with great
earnestness, “I do assure you, honest and honor bright, there ain’t no
difficulty about the boys. They’re all rail happy--tip-top, an no
mistake; as lively as crickets; lots to eat an drink, comfortable beds,
good cookery--all in good spirits and a enjyin of themselves in a way
that would do your heart good to see.”
“Well--but where are they?” persisted Ferguson.
“Wal--now--railly--you know,” said Captain Corbet, “it’s a kine o’
secret--an I’d very much rather not tell--that is--not _jest_ now; now
railly--don’t ask me.”
Ferguson looked at him for a few moments with the same scrutinizing look
that he had already turned upon him.
“Where are you going now?” he asked at length; “back to the boys?”
“Wal--not _jest_ yet,” answered Corbet, after a pause. “The fact is, I
was thinkin a little of takin a turn over Miramichi way--on business. I
won’t belong, and they’ll be all right till I get back from Miramichi.”
“O, the boys’ll have to wait for you, in the place where they now are,
till you get back from Miramichi--so that’s it.”
Ferguson spoke these words slowly and deliberately, with his eyes fixed
on Captain Corbet. The latter looked somewhat uncomfortable, and for a
while said nothing; but at length he murmured,--
“Wal--I s’pose--that’s--about--it.”