"This is Van Blake, Father," Bob said, proudly introducing his chum.
"I"m glad to see you, young man," Mr. Carlton responded. "Bob"s friends will always find a welcome from us."
"Thank you, sir."
Mr. Carlton reflected a moment then asked abruptly:
"I don"t suppose you happen to be a connection of the Colorado Blakes."
"I come from Colorado," replied Van quickly.
"You"re not one of the sugar Blakes; not Asa Blake"s son."
"Yes," cried Van. "Mr. Asa Blake is my father, and he is in the beet sugar business. Do you know him?"
"I believe I"ve met him," Mr. Carlton admitted hurriedly, stooping to push the glowing back-log a little further forward.
"Why, Father--"
Bob was interrupted.
"Come, boys," said Mrs. Carlton bustling in. "I guess you"ve warmed your fingers by this time. Bob, take Van up-stairs and tumble out of those fur coats as fast as ever you can so to be ready for dinner."
The lads needed no second bidding. They were up-stairs and back in the dining-room in a twinkling, and so eagerly did they chatter of their plans for the morrow that hungry though they were they almost forgot to eat.
"There are so many things to do that it is hard to decide where to begin," declared Bob. "Of course we want some coasting and some snow-shoeing; and we must climb Monadnock. Van says he hasn"t seen a real mountain since he came East. Then we want to be on hand for the maple-sugar making. Why, ten days won"t be half long enough to do everything we ought to do."
His mother laughed.
"You must have a good sleigh ride, too," she put in.
"I draw the line on a sleigh ride if we have to go with that horse that brought us up from the station," announced Bob.
"Me, too!" Van echoed.
"It would take you the entire ten days to get anywhere and back if you went sleighing with the Admiral," said Mr. Carlton.
Every one smiled.
"I"d advise your seizing upon the first clear day for your Monadnock tramp," Mr. Carlton continued. "You"d better make sure of good weather when you get it. It won"t make so much difference with your other plans; but for the mountain trip you must have a good day."
"I do want Van to get the view from the top if he makes the climb,"
Bob answered.
So the chat went merrily on.
Yet despite the gaiety of the evening and Mr. Carlton"s evident interest in the boys" holiday schemes Bob more than once caught his father furtively studying Van"s profile. Obviously something either puzzled or annoyed him. There was, however, no want of cordiality in his hearty goodnight or in the zest with which he advocated that if the next morning proved to be unclouded the two lads better make certain of their mountain excursion. He even helped lay out the walk and offered many helpful suggestions. Bob"s uneasiness lest his father should not like his chum vanished, and when he dropped into bed the last vague misgiving took flight, and he fell into a slumber so profound that morning came only too soon.
It was David who, entering softly to start the fire in the bedroom fireplace, awakened Bob.
He sat up and rubbed his eyes sleepily.
"What sort of a day is it, David?" he questioned in a whisper that he might not arouse Van, who was lying motionless beside him.
"It"s a grand day, Mr. Bob. There ain"t a cobweb in the sky."
David tiptoed out and Bob nestled down once more beneath the blankets. It was fun to lie there watching the logs blaze up and see your breath rise on the chilly air; it was fun, too, to know that no gong would sound as it did at school and compel you to rush madly into your clothes lest you be late for breakfast and chapel, and receive a black mark in consequence. No, for ten delicious days there was to be no such thing as hurry. Bob lay very still luxuriating in the thought. Then he glanced at Van, who was still immovable, his arm beneath his cheek. His friend"s obliviousness to the world was irresistible. Bob raised himself carefully; caught up his pillow; took accurate aim; and let it fly.
It struck Van in the head, routing further possibility of sleep.
"Can"t you let a fellow alone?" he snapped.
"Wake up, you old mummy!" shouted Bob. "A great mountain climber you are, sleeping here all day. Have you forgotten you"re going up Monadnock to-day?"
"Hang Monadnock! I was sound asleep when you lammed that pillow at me, you heathen. What"s the good of waking me up at this unearthly hour?" yawned Van.
"It"s seven o"clock."
"Seven o"clock!" Van straightened up and stared. "Why, man alive, I haven"t been asleep fifteen minutes."
"You"ve been lying like a log for nine mortal hours," chuckled Bob.
"Great Scott! Some sleep, isn"t it? That"s better than I do at Colversham."
"Rat_her!_"
"Well, I need sleep. I"m worn out with over-study."
"You are, like--"
"I am. I"m an intellectual wreck," moaned Van. "It"s the Latin."
Bob burst into a shout, which was cut short by a rap at the door.
"Time to get up, boys," called the cheery voice of Mr. Carlton.
"Step lively, please. Here"s a can of hot water."
The boys wasted no more time in fooling.
They bathed, dressed, and almost before they knew it were at the table partaking of a hearty breakfast which was capped by heaps of golden brown pancakes rendered even more golden by the sea of maple-syrup in which they floated.
"I"ll never be able to climb anything after this meal," Van gasped as he left the table and was thrusting his arms into his sweater.
Bob grinned.
"Don"t expect us back before late afternoon, Father," he called over his shoulder. "We"ve a long slow climb ahead of us because of the snow. Probably we shall find it drifted in lots of places. Then we shall want some time at the top of the mountain, you know. Besides, we"re going to stop and cook chops, and that will delay us. So don"t worry if we don"t turn up much before dinner time."
"You"re sure you know the trail, Bob?" his mother called as the trampers went down the steps.