Chapter 14

And Jill Finds it outJill worried about it more than he did, for she was a faithful littlefriend, and it was a great trial to have Jack even suspected of doinganything wrong. School is a child's world while he is there, and itssmall affairs are very important to him, so Jill felt that the onething to be done was to clear away the cloud about her dear boy,and restore him to public favor.

　　"Ed will be here Saturday night and maybe he will find out, forJack tells him everything. I do hate to have him hectored so, for Iknow he is, though he's too proud to complain," she said, onThursday evening, when Frank told her some joke played upon hisbrother that day.

　　"I let him alone, but I see that he isn't badgered too much. That'sall I can do. If Ed had only come home last Saturday it might havedone some good, but now it will be too late; for the reports aregiven out to-morrow, you know," answered Frank, feeling a littlejealous of Ed's influence over Jack, though his own would havebeen as great if he had been as gentle.

　　"Has Jerry come back?" asked Jill, who kept all her questions forFrank, because she seldom alluded to the tender subject when withJack.

　　"No, he's off for the summer. Got a place somewhere. Hope he'llstay there and let Bob alone.""Where is Bob now? I don't hear much about him lately," said Jill,who was constantly on the lookout for "the other fellow," since itwas not Joe.

　　"Oh, he went to Captain Skinner's the first of March, chores round,and goes to school up there. Captain is strict, and won't let Bobcome to town, except Sundays; but he don't mind it much, for helikes horses, has nice grub, and the Hill fellows are good chaps forhim to be with. So he's all right, if he only behaves.""How far is it to Captain Skinner's?" asked Jill suddenly, havinglistened, with her sharp eyes on Frank, as he tinkered away at hismodel, since he was forbidden all other indulgence in his belovedpastime.

　　"It's four miles to Hill District, but the Captain lives this side of theschool-house. About three from here, I should say.""How long would it take a boy to walk up there?" went on thequestioner, with a new idea in her head.

　　"Depends on how much of a walkist he is.""Suppose he was lame and it was sloshy, and he made a call andcame back. How long would that take?" asked Jill impatiently.

　　"Well, in that case, I should say two or three hours. But it'simpossible to tell exactly, unless you know how lame the fellowwas, and how long a call he made," said Frank, who liked to beaccurate.

　　"Jack couldn't do it in less, could he?""He used to run up that hilly road for a breather, and think nothingof it. It would be a long job for him now, poor little chap, for hisleg often troubles him, though he hates to own it."Jill lay back and laughed, a happy little laugh, as if she waspleased about something, and Frank looked over his shoulder toask questions in his turn.

　　"What are you laughing at?""Can't tell.""Why do you want to know about Hill District? Are you goingthere?""Wish I could! I'd soon have it out of him.""Who?""Never mind. Please push up my table. I must write a letter, and Iwant you to post it for me to-night, and never say a word till I giveyou leave.

　　"Oh, now you are going to have secrets and be mysterious, and getinto a mess, are you?" and Frank looked down at her with asuspicious air, though he was intensely curious to know what shewas about.

　　"Go away till I'm done. You will have to see the outside, but youcan't know the inside till the answer comes"; and propping herselfup, Jill wrote the following note, with some hesitation at thebeginning and end, for she did not know the gentleman she wasaddressing, except by sight, and it was rather awkward:

　　"Robert Walker"Dear Sir, I want to ask if Jack Minot came to see you last Fridayafternoon. He got into trouble being seen with Jerry Shannon. Hepaid him some money. Jack won't tell, and Mr. Acton talked tohim about it before all the school. We feel bad, because we thinkJack did not do wrong. I don't know as you have anything to dowith it, but I thought I'd ask. Please answer quick. Respectfullyyours,Jane Pecq"To make sure that her despatch was not tampered with, Jill put agreat splash of red sealing-wax on it, which gave it a very officiallook, and much impressed Bob when he received it.

　　"There! Go and post it, and don't let anyone see or know about it,"she said, handing it over to Frank, who left his work with unusualalacrity to do her errand. When his eye fell on the address, helaughed, and said in a teasing way,"Are you and Bob such good friends that you correspond? Whatwill Jack say?""Don't know, and don't care! Be good, now, and let's have a littlesecret as well as other folks. I'll tell you all about it when heanswers," said Jill in her most coaxing tone.

　　"Suppose he doesn't?""Then I shall send you up to see him. I must know something, andI want to do it myself, if I can.""Look here; what are you after? I do believe you think----" Frankgot no farther, for Jill gave a little scream, and stopped him bycrying eagerly, "Don't say it out loud! I really do believe it may be,and I'm going to find out.""What made you think of him?" and Frank looked thoughtfully atthe letter, as if turning carefully over in his mind the idea that Jill'squick wits had jumped at.

　　"Come here and I'll tell you."Holding him by one button, she whispered something in his earthat made him exclaim, with a look at the rug,"No! did he? I declare I shouldn't wonder! It would be just like thedear old blunder-head.""I never thought of it till you told me where Bob was, and then itall sort of burst upon me in one minute!" cried Jill, waving herarms about to express the intellectual explosion which had thrownlight upon the mystery, like sky-rockets in a dark night.

　　"You are as bright as a button. No time to lose; I'm off"; and off hewas, splashing through the mud to post the letter, on the back ofwhich he added, to make the thing sure, "Hurry up.

　　F. M."Both felt rather guilty next day, but enjoyed themselves very muchnevertheless, and kept chuckling over the mine they were makingunder Jack's unconscious feet. They hardly expected an answer atnoon, as the Hill people were not very eager for their mail, but atnight Jill was sure of a letter, and to her great delight it came. Jackbrought it himself, which added to the fun, and while she eagerlyread it he sat calmly poring over the latest number of his ownprivate and particular "Youth's Companion."Bob was not a "complete letter-writer" by any means, and withgreat labor and much ink had produced the following brief buthighly satisfactory epistle. Not knowing how to address his faircorrespondent he let it alone, and went at once to the point in thefrankest possible way:

　　"Jack did come up Friday. Sorry he got into a mess. It was realkind of him, and I shall pay him back soon. Jack paid Jerry for meand I made him promise not to tell. Jerry said he'd come here andmake a row if I didn't cash up. I was afraid I'd lose the place if hedid, for the Capt. is awful strict. If Jack don't tell now, I will. I ain'tmean. Glad you wrote.

　　R. O. W.""Hurrah!" cried Jill, waving the letter over her head in greattriumph. "Call everybody and read it out," she added, as Franksnatched it, and ran for his mother, seeing at a glance that the newswas good. Jill was so afraid she should tell before the others camethat she burst out singing "Pretty Bobby Shafto" at the top of hervoice, to Jack's great disgust, for he considered the song verypersonal, as he wa.s rather fond of "combing down his yellowhair," and Jill often plagued him by singing it when he came inwith the golden quiris very smooth and nice to hide the scar on hisforehead.

　　In about five minutes the door flew open and in came Mamma,making straight for bewildered Jack, who thought the family hadgone crazy when his parent caught him in her arms, sayingtenderly,"My good, generous boy! I knew he was right all the time!" whileFrank worked his hand up and down like a pump-handle,exclaiming heartily,"You're a trump, sir, and I'm proud of you!" Jill meantime callingout, in wild delight,"I told you so! I told you so! I did find out; ha, ha, I did!""Come, I say! What's the matter? I'm all right. Don't squeeze thebreath out of me, please," expostulated Jack, looking so startledand innocent, as he struggled feebly, that they all laughed, and thisplaintive protest caused him to be released. But the nextproceeding did not enlighten him much, for Frank kept waving avery inky paper before him and ordering him to read it, whileMamma made a charge at Jill, as if it was absolutely necessary tohug somebody.

　　"Hullo!" said Jack, when he got the letter into his own hand andread it. "Now who put Bob up to this? Nobody had any business tointerfere--but it's mighty good of him, anyway," he added, as theanxious lines in his round face smoothed themselves away, while asmile of relief told how hard it had been for him to keep his word.

　　"I did!" cried Jill, clapping her hands, and looking so happy that hecould not have scolded her if he had wanted to.

　　"Who told you he was in the scrape?" demanded Jack, in a hurry toknow all about it now the seal was taken off his own lips.

　　"You did"; and Jill's face twinkled with naughty satisfaction, forthis was the best fun of all.

　　"I didn't! When? Where? It's a joke!""You did," cried Jill, pointing to the rug. "You went to sleep thereafter the long walk, and talked in your sleep about 'Bob' and 'Allright, old boy,' and ever so much gibberish. I didn't think about itthen, but when I heard that Bob was up there I thought maybe heknew something about it, and last night I wrote and asked him, andthat's the answer, and now it is all right, and you are the best boythat ever was, and I'm so glad!"Here Jill paused, all out of breath, and Frank said, with anapproving pat on the head,"It won't do to have such a sharp young person round if we aregoing to have secrets. You'd make a good detective, miss.""Catch me taking naps before people again"; and Jack lookedrather crestfallen that his own words had set "Fine Ear" on thetrack. "Never mind, I didn't mean to tell, though I just ached to doit all the time, so I haven't broken my word. I'm glad you all know,but you needn't let it get out, for Bob is a good fellow, and it mightmake trouble for him," added Jack, anxious lest his gain should bethe other's loss.

　　"I shall tell Mr. Acton myself, and the Captain, also, for I'm notgoing to have my son suspected of wrong-doing when he has onlytried to help a friend, and borne enough for his sake," saidMamma, much excited by this discovery of generous fidelity in herboy; though when one came to look at it calmly, one saw that itmight have been done in a wiser way.

　　"Now, please, don't make a fuss about it; that would be most asbad as having everyone down on me. I can stand your praising me,but I won't be patted on the head by anybody else"; and Jackassumed a manly air, though his face was full of genuine boyishpleasure at being set right in the eyes of those he loved.

　　"I'll be discreet, dear, but you owe it to yourself, as well as Bob, tohave the truth known. Both have behaved well, and no harm willcome to him, I am sure. I'll see to that myself," said Mrs. Minot, ina tone that set Jack's mind at rest on that point.

　　"Now do tell all about it," cried Jill, who was pining to know thewhole story, and felt as if she had earned the right to hear it.

　　"Oh, it wasn't much. We promised Ed to stand by Bob, so I did aswell as I knew how"; and Jack seemed to think that was about allthere was to say.

　　"I never saw such a fellow for keeping a promise! You stick to itthrough thick and thin, no matter how silly or hard it is. Youremember, mother, last summer, how you told him not to go in aboat and he promised, the day we went on the picnic. We rode up,but the horse ran off home, so we had to come back by way of theriver, all but Jack, and he walked every step of five miles becausehe wouldn't go near a boat, though Mr. Burton was there to takecare of him. I call that rather overdoing the matter"; and Franklooked as if he thought moderation even in virtue a good thing.

　　"And I call it a fine sample of entire obedience. He obeyed orders,and that is what we all must do, without always seeing why, ordaring to use our own judgment. It is a great safeguard to Jack, anda very great comfort to me; for I know that if he promises he willkeep his word, no matter what it costs him," said Mamma warmly,as she tumbled up the quirls with an irrepressible caress,remembering how the boy came wearily in after all the others,without seeming for a moment to think that he could have doneanything else.

　　"Like Casabianca!" cried Jill, much impressed, for obedience washer hardest trial.

　　"I think he was a fool to burn up," said Frank, bound not to give in.

　　"I don't. It's a splendid piece, and everyone likes to speak it, and itwas true, and it wouldn't be in all the books if he was a fool.

　　Grown people know what is good," declared Jill, who liked heroicactions, and was always hoping for a chance to distinguish herselfin that way.

　　"You admire 'The Charge of the Light Brigade,' and glow all overas you thunder it out. Yet they went gallantly to their death ratherthan disobey orders. A mistake, perhaps, but it makes us thrill tohear of it; and the same spirit keeps my Jack true as steel whenonce his word is passed, or he thinks it is his duty. Don't belaughed out of it, my son, for faithfulness in little things fits onefor heroism when the great trials come. One's conscience canhardly be too tender when honor and honesty are concerned.""You are right, mother, and I am wrong. I beg your pardon, Jack,and you sha'n't get ahead of me next time."Frank made his mother a little bow, gave his brother a shake of thehand, and nodded to Jill, as if anxious to show that he was not tooproud to own up when he made a mistake.

　　"Please tell on, Jack. This is very nice, but I do want to know allabout the other," said Jill, after a short pause.

　　"Let me see. Oh, I saw Bob at church, and he looked rather blue;so, after Sunday School, I asked what the matter was. He said Jerrybothered him for some money he lent him at different times whenthey were loafing round together, before we took him up. Hewouldn't get any wages for some time. The Captain keeps himshort on purpose, I guess, and won't let him come down townexcept on Sundays. He didn't want anyone to know about it, forfear he'd lose his place. So I promised I wouldn't tell. Then I wasafraid Jerry would go and make a fuss, and Bob would run off, ordo something desperate, being worried, and I said I'd pay it forhim, if I could. So he went home pretty jolly, and I scratched'round for the money. Got it, too, and wasn't I glad?"Jack paused to rub his hands, and Frank said, with more than usualrespect,"Couldn't you get hold of Jerry in any other place, and out ofschool time? That did the mischief, thanks to Joe. I thrashed him,Jill--did I mention it?""I couldn't get all my money till Friday morning, and I knew Jerrywas off at night. I looked for him before school, and at noon, butcouldn't find him, so afternoon recess was my last chance. I wasbound to do it and I didn't mean to break the rule, but Jerry wasjust going into the shop, so I pelted after him, and as it was privatebusiness we went to the billiard-room. I declare I never was sorelieved as when I handed over that money, and made him say itwas all right, and he wouldn't go near Bob. He's off, so my mind iseasy, and Bob will be so grateful I can keep him steady, perhaps.

　　That will be worth two seventy-five, I think," said Jack heartily.

　　"You should have come to me," began Frank.

　　"And got laughed at--no, thank you," interrupted Jack, recollectingseveral philanthropic little enterprises which were nipped in thebud for want of co-operation.

　　"To me, then," said his mother. "It would have saved so muchtrouble.""I thought of it, but Bob didn't want the big fellows to know forfear they'd be down on him, so I thought he might not like me totell grown people. I don't mind the fuss now, and Bob is as kind ashe can be. Wanted to give me his big knife, but I wouldn't take it.

　　I'd rather have this," and Jack put the letter in his pocket with aslap outside, as if it warmed the cockles of his heart to have itthere.

　　"Well, it seems rather like a tempest in a teapot, now it is all over,but I do admire your pluck, little boy, in holding out so well wheneveryone was scolding at you, and you in the right all the time,"said Frank, glad to praise, now that he honestly could, after hiswholesale condemnation.

　　"That is what pulled me through, I suppose. I used to think if I haddone anything wrong, that I couldn't stand the snubbing a day. Ishould have told right off, and had it over. Now, I guess I'll have agood report if you do tell Mr. Acton," said Jack, looking at hismother so wistfully, that she resolved to slip away that veryevening, and make sure that the thing was done.

　　"That will make you happier than anything else, won't it?" askedJill, eager to have him rewarded after his trials.

　　"There's one thing I like better, though I'd be very sorry to lose myreport. It's the fun of telling Ed I tried to do as he wanted us to, andseeing how pleased he'll be," added Jack, rather bashfully, for theboys laughed at him sometimes for his love of this friend.

　　"I know he won't be any happier about it than someone else, whostood by you all through, and set her bright wits to work till thetrouble was all cleared away," said Mrs. Minot, looking at Jill'scontented face, as she lay smiling on them all.

　　Jack understood, and, hopping across the room, gave both the thinhands a hearty shake; then, not finding any words quite cordialenough in which to thank this faithful little sister, he stooped downand kissed her gratefully.