It was not till three o’clock that the nurse made her appearance, and it was half-past three before Harry started on his way.
“You need not hurry home,” said the professor.
“In fact, you had better take supper at the hotel in Carmansville.”
Harry left the room, and was soon on his way to Carmansville. Once he got off the road, which was rather a perplexing one, but he soon found it again. However, it was half-past five before he reached the village, and nearly an hour later before he had done the errand which brought him over. Finally, he came back to the tavern, and, being by this time hungry, went in at once to supper. He did full justice to the meal which was set before him. The day was cold, and his cold ride had stimulated his appetite.
When he sat down to the table he was alone; but a minute afterward a small, dark-complexioned man, with heavy black whiskers, came in, and sat down beside him.
“It’s a pretty cold day,” he remarked.
“Very cold,” said Harry. “I am dreading my ride back to Pentland.;’
“Do you live over there?”
“No; I am there for a short time only,” Harry replied.
“I am in the employ of Professor Henderson, the ventriloquist.”
“Professor Henderson! Why, he is going to give an entertainment here to-night, isn’t he?”
“He was; but I have come over to countermand the notice.”
“What is that for?”
“He is taken sick at Pentland, and won’t be able to come.”
“Oh, that’s it. Well, I’m sorry, for I should like to have gone to hear him. So you are his assistant, are you?”
“I take money at the door, and help him with his apparatus.”
“Have you been with him long?”
“Only a few weeks.”
“So you are his treasurer, are you?” asked the stranger, smiling.
“Ye-es,” said Harry, slowly, for it brought to his mind that he had one hundred-and fifty dollars of the professor’s money in his pocket, besides the pocketbook containing his own. He intended to have left it with his employer, but in the hurry of leaving he had forgotten to do so.
“However,” he said, reassuring himself, “there is nothing to be afraid of. Country people are not robbers. Burglars stay in the cities. I have nothing to fear.”
He rose from the table, followed by the stranger.
“Well,” said the latter, “I must be going. How soon do you start?”
“In a few minutes.”
“Well, good-night.”
“Good-night.”
“He seems inclined to be social,” thought Harry,
“but I don’t fancy him much.”
CHAPTER XXIV.
“HELD UP.”
Harry was soon on his way home. It was already getting dark, and he felt a little anxious lest he should lose his way.
He had gone about two miles, when he came to a place where two roads met. There was no guide- board, and he could not remember by which he had come. Luckily, as he thought, he descried a man a little ahead. He stopped the horse and hailed him.
“Can you tell me which road to take to Pentland?” he asked.
The man addressed turned his head, and, to his surprise, our hero, recognized his table companion at the inn.
“Oh, it’s you, my young friend!” he said.
“Yes, sir. Can you tell me the right road to Pentland? I have never been this way before today, and I have forgotten how I came.”
“I’m thinking of going to Pentland myself,” said the other. “My sister lives there. If you don’t mind giving me a lift, I will jump in with you, and guide you.”
“Jump in, sir,” he said. “There is plenty of room.”
The stranger was speedily seated at his side.
“Take the left-hand road,” he said.
Harry turned to the left.
“It’s rather a blind road,” observed the stranger.
“I don’t remember this road,” said Harry, anxiously. “Are you sure we are right?”
“Yes, yes, we are right. Don’t trouble yourself.”
“The road didn’t seem so lonely when I came over it this afternoon.”
“Oh, that’s the effect of sunshine. Nothing seems lonely in the daytime. Turn down that lane.”
“What for?” asked Harry, in surprise. “That can’t be the road to Pentland.”