"Then you didn't meet with anything this morning, I take it, Bob?"
continued Jack, hardly knowing what to say in order to raise the
drooping spirits of his friend.

Big Bob shook his head in the negative.

"Not a thing, Jack," he went on to admit, "though I was really out,
and walking up and down that path at peep of day. I couldn't tell you
how many times I went over the ground without finding anything. Why, I
even remembered which way the breeze was blowing yesterday, and spent
most of my time on that particular side of the path. Think of that,
will you, Jack; and yet for the life of me I can't positively
recollect whether I did drop that letter into the slot along with the
rest. I must be getting looney, that's what."

"Well, you've just got to brace up, Bob, and believe it's all right,"
Jack told him, slapping the other heartily on the shoulder, boy
fashion. "As time goes on you'll sort of get used to it; and then some
fine day your father will speak of having heard from his correspondent
abroad."

"Thank you for trying to bolster up my nerve, Jack It's mighty nice of
you in the bargain. I'll need your counsel more than a few times from
now on, and I'm right glad I can have some one to go to when I feel so
sick with the suspense, All the while I'm waiting and hoping I've got
to tremble every time my father speaks to me That's the result of
having a guilty conscience you know. I've read about such things
before, but this is the first time I've actually had the experience
myself."