"
"Oh, John!" expostulated the mother. "Do you realize that you are
saying these horrid things about our own boy--our Winn?"
"Indeed I do, dear," answered the Major, smiling; "and it is because he
is our boy, whom I love better than myself, that I am analyzing his
character so carefully. He has the making of a splendid fellow in him,
together with certain traits that might easily prove his ruin."
"Well," replied Mrs. Caspar, in a resigned tone, "perhaps it will do
him good to go away and be alone with you for a while. It is very hard
to realize, though, that my little Winn is sixteen years old and almost
a man. But, John, you won't let him run any risks, or get into any
danger, will you?"
"Not knowingly, my dear, you may rest assured," answered the Major.
But he smiled as he thought how impossible it was to keep boys from
running risks and getting into all sorts of dangerous positions.
So it was decided that Winn should form one of the crew of the
_Venture_ whenever the raft should be ready to start on its long
voyage; and ever since learning tins decision the boy had been in a
fever of impatience to be off. So full was he of anticipations
concerning the proposed journey that he could talk and think of nothing
else. Thus, after a month of tiresome delay, he was in such an
uncomfortable frame of mind that it was a positive trial to have him
about the house.
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