It was decided that, since Ben had formed the plan, he should carry it out--a task which he was perfectly willing to perform; and, after promising to let his partners know as soon as he had succeeded, he started off, happy at the thought of being able to give Paul so much pleasure. When he met the boy whom he was eager to make happy once more, he had not been able to form any plan for getting the theatrical funds from him without running the risk of raising his suspicions. But since there was no other course which he could pursue, he said, as innocently as possible,
"I've been talkin' with the other fellers, Paul, an' I want you to let me have the money that come from the theatre. We're thinkin' of doin' somethin' with it, an' when you come home to-night we'll tell you what it is."
Paul had been thinking so much of his home and of his parents, whom he feared he should not see again, that he could have had no idea of Ben's purpose, even though he had spoken more plainly, and he handed him the money without a word.
During the remainder of that day Paul was considerably mystified at the singular behavior of his friends; they indulged in the most wonderful winks and nods to one another whenever they were where he was, and something which Ben showed them from time to time seemed to please them immensely. Whenever he asked the reason for their unusual good-humor, and apparent secrecy about something, he was told that he should know at dinner-time, but not before.
Without having the slightest suspicion as to what his friends had done for him, Paul was so excited by the evident secret which was being kept from him that he was very impatient for the time to come when he could know what it was.
Never before had the boys seemed so anxious to be with him as they were during that afternoon, and he quite forgot their seeming coolness of the morning. One or all of them--excepting Mopsey, of course, who was obliged to remain at his stand in the absence of the boy who sometimes acted as clerk for him--kept near Paul all the day; and when it was time to go to dinner, it seemed as if they were escorting him home.
Once or twice while they were eating dinner some one of the party had said, "Now, Ben, now!" but Ben had shaken his head significantly and continued eating, as if he had no other duty before him.