"
"How did he go?" asked Quintin.
"On foot; he took the boy with him for company. It is such a beautiful
night, and the lad wanted to go."
"That is enough," exclaimed Quintin. "Jump in, we may catch him yet. Now,
Cyrus, let them go," and they did go. In ten minutes they were in front
of the telegraph office at the wharf at Centerville Landing. Just as they
began to ascend the stairs a man and a boy came out of the office--Tom
and Leonidas.
"Tom, what have you done?" exclaimed McLaren.
"I have just sent my acceptance to London," and, thinking that perhaps
he had done wrong in bringing the boy, added, "and it was such a
beautiful night, I brought Leon for company."
"But, Tom, why were you so hasty in the matter? Why did you not consult
your friends?"
In the meantime Quintin pushed past them into the office, where Reid, the
operator, sat.
"Reid," asked Quintin, "have you sent Dr. Sparrow's message?"
"No, sir," was the prompt reply, "but two minutes more and it would have
been on the wires; here it is," holding up the yellow paper.
"Hold on, then. It must not go in its present shape."
Reid at once laid the message down on his desk, and turned to other work,
feeling assured that it was all right if Quintin and McLaren were
interrupting its transit. In the meanwhile McLaren had pushed Tom into a
small private room adjoining, and the younger man heard for the first
time that he had been elected to the chair of Greek at the Monastery.
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