Joel looked up and nodded quickly.
"Yes, sir."
"Oh, yes. Well, now, I mustn't hinder you from your work"--old Mr. King
turned briskly to his writing again--"or I shall be as bad as Frick--eh,
Joel?" and he laughed gayly. "Now trot back and go at your task again."
So Joel, fortified with his pencil, marched back to sit on the floor in the
alcove and take up his interrupted work, and Grandpapa's pen went
scratching busily over the paper, and nothing else was heard except the
buzzing of a big fly outside the window, venting his vexation at his
inability to get in.
Meanwhile Frick and the knot of boys had drawn off in astonishment and
dismay at the failure of their plan to get Joel Pepper into the delightful
expedition.
"What was he doing?" demanded more than one boy.
"I don't know," said Frick; "I couldn't get in."
"Oh, now I know; he's got some secret," said Larry Keep, and he whirled
around in vexation and snapped his fingers.
"Maybe it's a flying-machine," suggested another boy.
"Phoo! he couldn't make that in his grandfather's writing-room," said
Larry, in derision, yet he looked anxious. Suppose Joel Pepper were really
busy over such a splendid thing as that and hadn't told him. "Guess
something else."
"I can't think what it is," said Frick, sitting down on the curbstone to
become lost in thought--an example to be speedily followed by all the boys,
till finally there was a dismal row of them, without a thought remaining of
having the expedition on the pond, since Joel Pepper wouldn't come with
them.
Pages:
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183