“Let him alone while he’s hungry,” he said.  “It’s the first time in its history they’ve had breakfast ready at this hour in the hotel, and it would not have been accomplished if I hadn’t spent most of yesterday playing cards with the man who keeps it, and making love to the young women!”

“That’s quite right,” said another lad.  “When he takes his cap off you’ll see how one of them rewarded him, but come along, Winston.  It—­is—­ready.”

The greetings might, of course, have been expressed differently, but Winston also was not addicted to displaying all he felt, and the little ring in the lads’ voices was enough for him.  As they moved towards the hotel he saw that Dane was looking at him.

“Well?” said the latter, “you see they want you.”

That was probably the most hilarious breakfast that had ever been held in the wooden hotel, and before it was over, three of his companions had said to Winston, “Of course you’ll drive in with me!”

“Boys,” he said, as they put their furs on, and his voice shook a trifle, “I can’t ride in with everybody who has asked me unless you dismember me.”

Finally Alfreton, who was a trifle too quick for the others, got him into his sleigh, and they swept out behind a splendid team into the frozen stillness of the prairie.  The white leagues rolled behind them, the cold grew intense, but while Winston was for the most part silent, and apparently preoccupied, Alfreton talked almost incessantly, and only once looked grave.  That happened when Winston asked about Colonel Barrington.

The lad shook his head.  “I scarcely think he will ever take hold again,” he said.  “You will understand me better when you see him.”

They stopped a while at mid-day at an outlying farm, but Winston glanced inquiringly at Alfreton when one of the sleighs went on.  The lad smiled at him.

“Yes,” he said.  “He is going on to tell them we have got you.”

“They would have found it out in a few more hours,” said Winston.

Alfreton’s eyes twinkled.  “No doubt they would,” he said dryly.  “Still, you see, somebody was offering two to one that Dane couldn’t bring you, and you know we’re generally keen about any kind of wager!”

The explanation, which was not quite out of keeping with the customs of the younger men at Silverdale, did not content Winston, but he said nothing.  So far his return had resembled a triumph, and while the sincerity of the welcome had its effect on him, he shrank a little from what he fancied might be waiting him.