His whole air was one of mingled dejection and rage.
"I wonder what can have happened to him ?" asked Susie curiously.
"I think his conscience may be chasing him," smiled Dick.
What really had happened was that Squire Ripley had been present when his son had made a very disrespectful answer to a white-haired man, one of the guests at the Lakeview House where the Ripleys were stopping.
In a great rage the lawyer had decided to send his son home for that act of gross disrespect to the aged.
To make the punishment more complete, Mr.Ripley had ordered his son to make the long journey on foot over the hills to the railway station.

Only enough money had been handed the young man to buy his railway ticket home.

The dress suit case had been added in order to make his progress more difficult.
"A young man who cannot treat the aged with proper respect must be dealt with severely," said Lawyer Ripley to his son.

"You will reach home fagged out from your long tramp.

For your fare, until your mother and I return, you will have to depend on such food as the servants at home can spare you from their larder.
Don't you dare order anything from the stores to be charged against me.