That accounts for his watching you when he thinks you're not noticing.
He wonders if you are really sick, and won't own up to it for some
foolish reason. I wouldn't be surprised if he gets you to drop in and
see the doctor, so as to be examined all over. Why, they may even be
giving you a _tonic_, Bob, to try and fetch back that lost appetite of
yours."

"Do you think so, Jack?" said the other, with a grim smile flickering
about his mouth. "Well, I know the very best tonic that could come to
me, which would be the news that the letter he wrote had reached its
destination abroad. Oh! if only I could learn that, I'd feel like
flying, my heart would be so light. And play, why, Jack, if such
glorious news came to me right now I'd wake up those Marshall boys
this afternoon, believe me. They'd think a _cyclone_ had struck
the line when I butted up against it. I'd tear everything to pieces,
and the whole gang couldn't stop me; for all the world would be bright
again, the birds singing, and best of all, I could once more look my
father straight in the eye."

"I wish that sort of thing would happen, that's all, Bob," laughed
Jack, partly to conceal the fact that he was pretty much shaken up
himself by the way Big Bob expressed his state of feelings. "But even
if you don't get word about the letter, I'm confident that your
position will be well looked after this afternoon."

"You can depend on me, Jack," said the other, simply, for Bob was not
given to boasting.

"There is nothing more you want to say to me, is there?" asked Jack,
for they had by now arrived in front of his gate.