“And now,” he said, “I must be up and doing, although it is past two o’clock. I must bid my mother good-bye, and I foresee there will be no time to do it when once I have reported, which I promised to do within twenty-four hours. By starting now I can reach Ferry Farm to-morrow morning, spend an hour with her, and return here at night; so if you, captain, will have my horses brought, I will wake up my boy Billy”--for, although Billy was quite George’s age, he remained ever his “boy.”