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diff --git a/78214-h/78214-h.htm b/78214-h/78214-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3c3e87f --- /dev/null +++ b/78214-h/78214-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,8532 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> + +<head> + +<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> + +<link rel="icon" href="images/img-cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover"> + +<meta charset="utf-8"> + +<title> +The Project Gutenberg eBook of Jubilee Hall, by Louisa Lilias Greene +</title> + +<style> +body { color: black; + background: white; + margin-right: 10%; + margin-left: 10%; + font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; + text-align: justify } + +p {text-indent: 1.5em } + +p.noindent {text-indent: 0% } + +p.t1 {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 200%; + text-align: center } + +p.t2 {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 150%; + text-align: center } + +p.t2b {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 150%; + font-weight: bold; + text-align: center } + +p.t3 {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 100%; + text-align: center } + +p.t3b {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 100%; + font-weight: bold; + text-align: center } + +p.t4 {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 80%; + text-align: center } + +p.t4b {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 80%; + font-weight: bold; + text-align: center } + +p.t5 {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 60%; + text-align: center } + +h1 { text-align: center } +h2 { text-align: center } +h3 { text-align: center } +h4 { text-align: center } +h5 { text-align: center } + +p.poem {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10%; } + +p.thought {text-indent: 0% ; + letter-spacing: 2em ; + text-align: center } + +p.letter {text-indent: 0%; + margin-left: 10% ; + margin-right: 10% } + +p.footnote {text-indent: 0% ; + font-size: 80%; + margin-left: 10% ; + margin-right: 10% } + +.smcap { font-variant: small-caps } + +p.transnote {text-indent: 0% ; + margin-left: 10% ; + margin-right: 10% } + +p.quote {text-indent: 4% ; + margin-left: 0% ; + margin-right: 0% } + +p.finis { font-size: larger ; + text-align: center ; + text-indent: 0% ; + margin-left: 0% ; + margin-right: 0% } + +p.capcenter { margin-left: 0; + margin-right: 0 ; + margin-bottom: .5% ; + margin-top: 0; + font-weight: normal; + float: none ; + clear: both ; + text-indent: 0%; + text-align: center } + +img.imgcenter { margin-left: auto; + margin-bottom: 0; + margin-top: 1%; + margin-right: auto; } +</style> + +</head> + +<body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78214 ***</div> + +<p><br><br></p> + +<p class="capcenter"> +<a id="img-front"></a> +<br> +<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-front.jpg" alt=""I'll give each of you three guesses.""> +<br> +"I'll give each of you three guesses." +</p> + +<h1> +<br><br> + <span style="color: red">JUBILEE HALL;</span><br> +</h1> + +<p class="t3b"> + OR, "THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME."<br> +</p> + +<p class="t2"> + BY HON. MRS. GREENE<br> +</p> + +<p><br><br></p> + +<p class="t3"> + <span style="color: red">THOMAS NELSON AND SONS</span><br> + LONDON, EDINBURGH, DUBLIN<br> + AND NEW YORK<br> +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p class="t3"> + <i>CONTENTS.</i><br> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> + <i>I. <a href="#chap01">Joyful News</a><br> + II. <a href="#chap02">The Journey to the Hall</a><br> + III. <a href="#chap03">Jubilee Hall</a><br> + IV. <a href="#chap04">A Bad Beginning</a><br> + V. <a href="#chap05">Berry-picking</a><br> + VI. <a href="#chap06">The Winner of the Prize</a><br> + VII. <a href="#chap07">The Voice of Conscience</a><br> + VIII. <a href="#chap08">Covering the Jam</a><br> + IX. <a href="#chap09">Aunt Marian's Store-room</a><br> + X. <a href="#chap10">A Discovery</a><br> + XI. <a href="#chap11">Watching his Opportunity</a><br> + XII. <a href="#chap12">At Dead of Night</a><br> + XIII. <a href="#chap13">From Bad to Worse</a><br> + XIV. <a href="#chap14">Gloomy Forebodings</a><br> + XV. <a href="#chap15">A Contrast</a><br> + XVI. <a href="#chap16">Fighting with Self</a><br> + XVII. <a href="#chap17">The Mischief Discovered</a><br> + XVIII. <a href="#chap18">A Full Confession</a><br> + XIX. <a href="#chap19">Home, Sweet Home</a></i><br> +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p class="t3"> +<i>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.</i> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +<a href="#img-front"><i>"I'll give each of you three guesses"</i></a> <i>... Frontispiece</i> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +<a href="#img-014"><i>Fred threw his arms around his mother's neck</i></a> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +<a href="#img-030"><i>Kathleen ducked down as she was told</i></a> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +<a href="#img-062"><i>"I am so glad I have met you"</i></a> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +<a href="#img-110"><i>"Another pot of strawberry, if you please"</i></a> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +<a href="#img-142"><i>The flame of the candle flickered horribly</i></a> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +<a href="#img-190"><i>"Fred, here is mother come to see you"</i></a> +</p> + +<p class="noindent"> +<a href="#img-206"><i>Supper was laid in the bright parlour</i></a> +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap01"></a></p> + +<p class="t2"> +JUBILEE HALL. +</p> + +<p><br><br></p> + +<h2> +CHAPTER I. +<br><br> +JOYFUL NEWS. +</h2> + +<p> +"Joy! joy! joy!" cried Kathleen Malcomson, +as she burst into the schoolroom where her +two brothers were at work preparing their +lessons for school; "oh, boys, I've just +heard such a grand piece of news. I'll give +each of you three guesses what it is, and only this +one hint, that it's the most glorious thing you +could possibly imagine." +</p> + +<p> +"You must tell us first," cried Fred, "does it +concern us boys as well as you? Otherwise it would +not be worth the bother of guessing." +</p> + +<p> +"Of course it does; that's one guess for you, Fred." +</p> + +<p> +"Humbug! you said we were each to have three +guesses, and mine was only a simple remark; besides, +I know what it is already, so you need not make +such a row about it." +</p> + +<p> +"Why, who told you?" asked Kathleen, her face +falling several degrees from its original brightness. +"I am almost certain you cannot have guessed it." +</p> + +<p> +"Father is going to have the bagatelle board +newly covered, and buy fresh balls; I heard him +saying so this morning,—eh? Miss Katy." +</p> + +<p> +"Eh? Miss Katy," repeated Harry in a still more +decisive tone; "how wise you are with your three +guesses." +</p> + +<p> +"It's as much about the bagatelle board as it's +about—about your head," cried Kathleen, glancing +around the room for some withering simile; "do +you think I'd make such a fuss about an old +bagatelle board? No; it's something a thousand +times better than that." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, then, tell us it out at once," cried both +the boys, roused to real interest by Kathleen's +words and manner; "what's the use of bottling up +your news, instead of giving us the benefit of it? +Pour it all out quick, that's a good old Kat." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, I'll only ask you to give one guess each," +said Kathleen, recovering the bright expectant +glance of pleasure as she drew nearer. "Now, Fred, +you go ahead first, and Harry shall have his +afterwards." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, I guess—I guess, humph; you said it +was awfully grand, did you not?" +</p> + +<p> +"I did." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, then, I guess, that my new suit has +come home from the tailor's." +</p> + +<p> +"Nonsense, Fred; that's no real guess. Who cares +about your suit? You did not really try to think." +</p> + +<p> +"I did, 'pon my word; but my head is nothing +but a brick-bat over this horrid Euclid. Let Harry +have his shot now." +</p> + +<p> +"I have known what it was all along," said +Harry calmly; "the midsummer holidays are to +begin a week earlier than we thought, for I heard +mother saying so this morning; at least she told +Leonard that the pony might begin to cart gravel +after the end of this week, as we should not want +it any more for the croydon, and I twigged at once +that there would be no school after that week." +</p> + +<p> +"You are just a shade right in your guess, and +nothing more," cried Kathleen triumphantly; "you +will not want the croydon for going to school after +the end of this week, but only because you are +going somewhere else." +</p> + +<p> +"Where?" cried both the boys, springing up +from their chairs in great excitement; "not—not +to Jubilee Hall, surely." +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, to Jubilee Hall for the whole midsummer +holidays. There was a letter from Aunt Marian last +night, asking us to spend the whole midsummer +holidays there." +</p> + +<p> +The wild whoop of joy and chorus of shouting, +dancing, flinging about of lesson-books, and +pounding recklessly on the piano, showed that Kathleen +had not exaggerated the rapturous quality of her +news, nor over-rated the warmth of its reception. +The boys proceeded to hug their sister enthusiastically, +and to kick each other ignominiously, till at +length, lessons having been hopelessly abandoned, +they all leaped out through the open window, and +rushed off with their news to pour it into the +sympathetic bosom of Mrs. Duffy, the dairywoman; +or failing her, into the somewhat obtuse ear of Quin, +the gardener. But they were both kindly souls, and +always received the children's intelligence with the +full amount of surprise or joy expected from them. +</p> + +<p> +The dairy came first, being situated at the foot of +the lawn, and shaded from the house by a plantation +of young firs and laurustinus bushes; and +besides, they were always sure of finding "old +Mother Duffy" at home, for she never left the +precincts of her own place except at milking-time, and +it was now only four o'clock in the afternoon. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, bless my heart," cried the good old soul, +coming to the door of her dairy as she heard the +loud hurrahs and yells of the children, and saw +them come flying over the sunk fence and down +the meadow towards her, "there must be some +rare piece of news up now;—I'd better turn the +key on the dairy-room, or Master Harry will be +playing some of his wild tricks with the cream, or +putting salt in the milk, as he did the other +day." And Mrs. Duffy, moving aside to carry out her +precautionary measure, had only just turned the key +in the lock when the trio burst headlong into the +room with a clatter and a row that brought several +of the panikins and wooden butter moulds tumbling +off the dresser upon the flagged floor of the dairy. +</p> + +<p> +"Now, Master Harry, and you, Master Fred, +couldn't you come a trifle easier into the house, +without knocking all my little goods and chattels +about the place! What bee have you got in your +bonnet this morning, Miss Kathleen, that makes you +so flighty and wild?" +</p> + +<p> +"She has got the biggest bee that ever was born," +cried Fred, quite breathless from his quick race; +"and we've all come down to see what you'll think +of it. Only fancy, Mother Duffy, there has been a +letter from Aunt Marian, and we are all going to +spend the midsummer holidays at Jubilee Hall." +</p> + +<p> +"The jolliest place you ever were in," broke in +Harry, who, having seen at a glance that the dairy +door was locked, was searching behind every cup and +platter for the key; "no end of good things to eat +and drink, and no stint of milk and butter as there +is in some places; nor locks on the doors either." +</p> + +<p> +"Then she must be a rare simple lady to ask +such folks as you down to her place, and keep +nought under lock and key. Wait till the first day +she finds a frog swimming in the milk-pail or a +hedgehog at the bottom of the churn, and see +whether she'll turn the key in her dairy door or not. +She'll be a sillier lady than I take her for, or she'll +soon send you packing home again to your own place." +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, will she? that's your view of the question, +Mother Duffy, but not mine," retorted Harry, who +with his back turned, was busily employed pouring +some ink out of a small stone jar into Mother +Duffy's empty tea-pot; "Aunt Marian is the jolliest +cove in all England." +</p> + +<p> +"I don't understand anything about 'coves,'" +replied Mrs. Duffy, shaking her head ominously; "but +if you get on with the same tricks at Jubilee Hall +as you do here, it's the short holidays you'll have +there, I promise you. Not but I'm glad you have +such a treat before you; though how folks with such +a fine place to live in as this should set so much +store by another house, is a matter I don't quite +come to see the sense of." +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, but don't you see," cried Kathleen, "there +is every kind of fun going on there from morning +till night,—archery, and croquet, and lawn tennis, +and ponies to ride. Arthur Jackson spent one day +there last year, and he says it's the most splendid +place he ever was in." +</p> + +<p> +"Splendid is no word for it," cried Fred enthusiastically; +"from what he said, it must be a—a—gollumptious +place. The gooseberry bushes there +are so large and full of fruit, you could stay a whole +day under one of them, and leave it none the worse +for the picking." +</p> + +<p> +"I'm thinking you'll be a trifle the worse for such a +picking," said Mrs. Duffy, laughing good-humouredly, +"Do you remember the day you ate all the cherries, +and the doctor had to be sent for in the evening." +</p> + +<p> +"Pooh! that was ages ago, when I was quite +young," replied Fred, who had only just passed out +of his fourteenth year. "You would not catch me +making such a fool of myself again." +</p> + +<p> +"I hope not," said Mrs. Duffy; "but I'd be sorry +to be the cherry-tree that should come in your way, +old as you are and wise. But what's Master Harry +at that he's so quiet yonder in the corner?" +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, nothing," cried Harry, gliding away from +the dresser, where he had just poured some vinegar +into a jug of new milk. "I was looking at that +grand picture that you've stuck up on the wall since +I was here last." +</p> + +<p> +Harry's face looked so innocent, and his remark +was so plausible a one, that Mrs. Duffy, who was +only too easily imposed upon, allowed the excuse to +pass muster, and continued,—"On what day are you +going to leave us, Master Fred? I'll be lonesome +enough without you, bad as you are with your +tricks and treacherous ways." +</p> + +<p> +"We are going on this day week," replied Kathleen. +"I was the first to hear it all, and the boys +knew nothing about it until I told them." +</p> + +<p> +"Phew! how grand you are!" cried both the +boys contemptuously. "Why should you have +been told before either of us, I should like to know? +You happened to go into the drawing-room first, +and that was all." +</p> + +<p> +"No, it was not all; I was sent for," replied +Kathleen proudly. "Mamma had to get me some +new clothes made before I went on a visit, and so +she told me all about it then. And what was more, +she said that although I was the youngest, she +hoped I would try to prevent you boys from being +too wild or playing practical jokes while you were +away; for there are to be lots of other visitors at the +Hall, and mamma was afraid you might get into +some scrape, and perhaps have to be sent home." +</p> + +<p class="capcenter"> +<a id="img-014"></a> +<br> +<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-014.jpg" alt="Fred threw his arms around his mother's neck."> +<br> +Fred threw his arms around his mother's neck. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, dear! so we are to be under your thumb, +Miss Wiseacre, are we?" cried Fred, pointing +contemptuously with his finger at his sister, whose +heightened colour betrayed her vexation. "We +must do nothing, and say nothing, and think nothing +even, without coming to ask your leave or advice; +ain't it likely just? that's all I say," and Fred +whistling, turned on his heel and stepped over the +threshold of the dairy door. +</p> + +<p> +"You might do worse than follow Miss Kathleen's +advice," cried Mrs. Duffy, seeing the ready +tears in the little girl's eyes, and always prepared to +take the part of the weak; "for she's a good girl, +and always tries to do what her mamma tells her, +and that's more than I can say for either of you. +For if a bit of a spree turns up in your paths, it's +little you think of who likes it or dislikes it either; +and as I said before, I just think it more than +likely we'll be having you home here before you've +been half a week away." +</p> + +<p> +"Bosh," cried Fred, leaping over the gravel walk +and turning off towards the garden. +</p> + +<p> +"Gammon," cried Harry, as he also left the +dairy and followed in his brother's wake. +</p> + +<p> +"That last idea is a trifle too rich, ain't it, now?" +said Fred, as he linked his arm in that of his +younger brother, in the shady shrubbery path leading +to the front garden; "that a couple of big fellows +like us are to be under the guidance of a little +scrap-o'-my-thumb of a child like Katy. Why, I look on +the very fact that we shall have no one over us to +say, 'do this, or do that,' is the very cream of the +whole joke; don't you?" +</p> + +<p> +"Of course I do." +</p> + +<p> +"Father always looks so grave if a fellow does +anything the least out of the common run, and +mother is so—" +</p> + +<p> +"Mother is awfully jolly, I think, and father too," +replied faithful Harry, who, under all his madcap +ways, had a loyal, loving heart. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, I should rather think they were. I ain't +the one to run down mother, I should think, or +father either, for that matter; but I mean it will be +an awfully jolly sensation to be entirely one's own +master, and no one to pull a long face if one +happens to do or say anything not exactly laid +down by rule. You see what I mean, don't you, +Harry?" +</p> + +<p> +"Oh yes; of course, it will be grand sport and +no mistake." +</p> + +<p> +"I hope Kathleen won't really be poking her nose +into all our doings," said Fred meditatively; "there +are heaps of larks which are perfectly harmless in +themselves which might throw her into fits of terror. +I'm sorry mother ever put such a silly notion into +her head." +</p> + +<p> +"O Fred!" +</p> + +<p> +"My dear fellow, don't 'oh' and 'ah' at every +word I say. One would think I was running +mother down, by the way you bounce up whenever +I mention her name. But ain't it a silly notion, +now, for a little meawy kitten like Kathleen to be +set to watch over our actions?" +</p> + +<p> +"I expect she will be so nervous when she gets +there, she will have enough to do to look after +herself," replied Harry evasively; and having reached +the garden gate, their talk and walk ended in the +ever entrancing operation of gooseberry-picking. +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap02"></a></p> + +<h2> +CHAPTER II. +<br><br> +THE JOURNEY TO THE HALL. +</h2> + +<p> +At length the day arrived for the journey of +the children to Jubilee Hall. It had +seemed as if it would never come, so +ardently did they look forward to the +visit; and now it was a picked day, so +gloriously sunshiny and fine, and with just enough +breeze to prevent the heat from being too oppressive. +</p> + +<p> +The carriage, or rather the pony phaeton, stood +already at the door, and the children, impatient of +delay, listened to the last words and injunctions of +their mother with somewhat less attention than was +their wont; for though they were often disobedient +and wild, and extraordinarily foolish, still they loved +their mother with all their heart; and when she +pointed out their faults to them, they made ardent +resolutions of amendment, and determined to make +their future conduct so good and faultless, that all +past errors or mischief should be forgotten. But this +morning their thoughts were busy with the +pleasures of Jubilee Hall and its thousand and one +enjoyments, so that their mother's words fell like +hailstones on a glass roof, which touch the surface +for a moment only to rebound and fall at a greater +distance. +</p> + +<p> +"Harry, love, you will be sure not to play any +practical jokes while you are away." +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, mother!" +</p> + +<p> +"Well, you know what I mean; not jokes which +are either unkind or mischievous: some jokes are +quite innocent, while others do untold harm." +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, of course, mother; but the carriage has +been at the door such ages, and the horse is awfully +fidgety." +</p> + +<p> +"The horse is not half so fidgety as I am," replied +their mother smiling, "sending such a set of +wild creatures into a strange house full of company. +But, Fred darling, you are the eldest of all, and +therefore I am sure you will try to behave well;—and +don't burst through any of Aunt Marian's rules +so as to follow up your own fancy; promise me that." +</p> + +<p> +"I'll burst through nothing, I promise you, +mother, unless it's my clothes, and that I can't +answer for, as Tracy has made all my garments an +inch smaller than usual." +</p> + +<p> +"And above all, Fred," said Mrs. Malcomson, +lowering her voice so as only to be heard by her +eldest son, "above all, Fred, you'll not touch +anything or go any place where you are forbidden, nor +take anything which is not strictly your own." +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, mother, I never do so now." +</p> + +<p> +"I know you have been much better lately, Fred, +but still we have had trouble more than once on +that point; and though in this house things may +readily be forgiven and forgotten, in a strange house +you might lose your character and all your promised +pleasure by one act of this kind. Aunt Marian is +ever so good-natured and generous, but she is very +particular about truth and honesty and uprightness; +so you'll remember all I have said, will you not, +Fred?" +</p> + +<p> +"I'll remember every word as right as a trivet, +see if I won't. Good-bye, old mother;" and with +these words human endurance came to an end, and +Fred, throwing his arms around his mother's neck, +rushed out into the hall, and from thence with one +bound was seated in the phaeton outside. +</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Malcomson hurried after her children to see +that they were safely stowed away, and that the +coachman had the reins; for Fred was not a +particularly good whip, and Harry was too good a whip, +for he generally whipped the horse up into a furious +gallop: and as Mrs. Malcomson lifted Kathleen up +into the hind seat of the phaeton beside Harry, she +whispered, "You'll remember, darling, all I said, +and remind the boys each night about their prayers." +</p> + +<p> +"I will," nodded Kathleen, with rather tearful +eyes; for now that the moment for parting had +come, she did not like leaving her mother's side, +to whom, when at home, she always clung like a +shadow. +</p> + +<p> +"You'll take great care of your sister, boys," +cried she as the pony, raising himself high in the air +on his hind legs, made a plunge forward, "and you'll +not let her do anything foolish." +</p> + +<p> +"Oh yes; we'll wallop her well if she does +anything wrong, I'll promise you. Good-bye once +again, and write us awful long budgets of home +news," cried Fred. +</p> + +<p> +"And tell old Mother Duffy to send us a stave +to say particularly how she liked her last cup of +tea," shouted Harry as the phaeton turned round +the curve of the avenue and disappeared from sight. +</p> + +<p> +Mrs. Malcomson also turned away with the good-bye +smile still lingering about her lips, and +re-entered the porch. But ere she had crossed the hall +the smile had quite faded away from her face; for +dim misgivings began already to fill her heart, lest, +after all, instead of the pleasures so much +anticipated by the boys, some trouble might arise, either +from their thoughtlessness or impatience of restraint, +which would make the visit end in disappointment +and distress; and, above all, her heart misgave her +about Fred, whose conscience was the most pliable +of the three, and who sometimes, to gain a desired +end, would turn aside from the obstacle of truth, +and gain by crooked ways what he could never +attain by straight. +</p> + +<p> +But no misgivings of coming evil dimmed the +brightness of the boys' pleasure. On the contrary, +their spirits rose at every fresh turn of the road, +which brought them nearer to their destination; +and Brien, the coachman, had by no means an easy +time of it trying to keep their hilarity within bounds. +</p> + +<p> +Harry amused himself for some time in making +the most appalling grimaces at the passers-by, until +a very irate old gentleman on horseback rode up to +the side of the phaeton and threatened to horsewhip +him if he went on with such tricks. Kathleen was +so frightened she burst out crying, which seemed to +appease the old gentleman's wrath, for he rode on +without making any further remark; and for some +time Harry only confined his attentions to Brien, +pushing his hat suddenly down on his eyes, or +snatching it off and rattling his stick inside of it, +which set the pony off at a furious pace, and +terrified all the passers-by. +</p> + +<p> +"I shall have a nice story to tell your mamma +when I get home," said Brien grimly, as he re-adjusted +his hat, and gave it one solemn sideways shake. +"It's likely she'll be sending me back again to fetch +you to-morrow when she hears the tricks you are +up to." +</p> + +<p> +"Pooh," replied Harry, "I'd like to see you tell +her anything about it. Had you never a bit of a +spree when you were young yourself, eh? But +you're such an old land-crab, I don't suppose you +ever were young: at the same time, I'm awfully +fond of you, in fact I love you like my own child;" +and Harry, stretching forward, threw his arms round +the old man's neck and leaned his head in an +attitude of mock affection on his shoulder. +</p> + +<p> +"Now, Master Harry, keep off with you, and let +me drive straight. You nearly made me run the +pony against that wall; do be easy, that's a good +lad." +</p> + +<p> +"Then you won't tell mother about that old +cross-cat on horseback?" +</p> + +<p> +"Not a word of it, if you'll leave me in peace." +</p> + +<p> +So with this and other equally judicious +management, Brien managed to convoy his noisy troop +along the road until they reached the little village +of Drummond, where they were to rest the pony, +and get some refreshment at the inn. +</p> + +<p> +Here Fred and Harry were in their element; for, +having no one to overlook them (Brien being busy +with the pony), they both adjourned to the +farmyard followed by Kathleen, who did not like +remaining in the inn by herself, and who vainly tried +to induce them to remain indoors; but the loud and +furious gobble of a turkey-cock had caught the boys' +ears, and they rushed in, eager for the fray, waving +their canes, and gobbling aloud in imitation of the +angry bird. +</p> + +<p> +Kathleen, who, unfortunately, had on a little scarlet +cloak, no sooner became aware of the turkey's +presence than she dashed into a cowshed and cried +loudly for help; but the boys were too excited to +think of her, and they prodded the bird with their +canes, and worried him so successfully, that at last +they actually drove him straight into the shed +where their sister had rushed for shelter. The +turkey-cock, with every feather on end and his +crimson neck inflated to the full, charged in his +anger and fright at the red cloak and its owner. +Poor Kathleen shrieked with terror, and having +nothing but her parasol to defend herself with, beat +with all her force at the bird, much oftener missing +it and striking the hard paving-stones of the cowshed, +until at last the stick of her new parasol snapped +suddenly in two, and the pretty silk cover, with its +glossy fringe, flew aside into a pool of dirty water on +the ground. This was a real misfortune, and the +boys, somewhat appalled by the consequences of +their "lark," hunted the animal back into the yard, +and tried to console Kathleen for the sad fate which +had happened to her new and most precious belonging. +But Kathleen's tears flowed fast; for not only +was her mother's parting gift destroyed, but the +front of her pretty new print dress was all spotted +and streaked with the mud which, in lifting her +parasol out of the dirt, had fallen upon it; and the +anguish of having to make her appearance in such +a plight was almost more than she, with all her +sweet temper, could endure. +</p> + +<p> +The landlady at the hotel was, however, exceedingly +kind and forgiving; and although she scolded +the boys heartily, and threatened to write to their +father, still she brought Kathleen into the kitchen, +and sponged her dress and took out the stains, and +then she devoted herself to the unhappy parasol, +which she cleaned wonderfully, and got her husband +to splice and mend, so that Kathleen's tears were +soon dried up, and by the time luncheon was over, +she was as cheerful and pleasant as ever, and had +quite forgiven the boys for their share in her trouble. +</p> + +<p> +When they remounted and were all settled in the +carriage, Fred made a desperate attempt to get +possession of the reins; but Brien knew that he would +be held responsible for the safe conduct of his charge +and the safety of the phaeton, and he refused +positively to give them out of his own hands. And +though Fred first sulked and afterwards abused him +roundly, it was all no use; and Brien, as well as +Kathleen, who was growing almost sick with +nervousness and apprehension, felt no small relief when +they entered by a handsome turreted gate the long +avenue of Jubilee Hall, and, a few minutes later, +found themselves opposite the large iron-clamped +door which guarded the entrance of the Hall. +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap03"></a></p> + +<h2> +CHAPTER III. +<br><br> +JUBILEE HALL. +</h2> + +<p> +Jubilee Hall stood on the summit of a +not very high hill, which, however, +commanded a splendid view of both sea and +mountain. It was a large and handsome +building, with a turret at each end; and +as all the windows of the principal rooms faced the +south, it was a peculiarly warm and sunny residence. +It was not an old castle or hall, so it had +not the small many-paned windows which generally +deprive the inhabitants of light and warmth; on +the contrary, the windows, which were remarkably +large and handsome, opened down to the very +ground, and, protected in the inside by light and +unobtrusive bars, allowed those within to get the +most uninterrupted view of the landscape outside, +and admitted the most delicious scent from the +flowers in the ornamental garden beneath. +</p> + +<p> +Harry and Fred stood entranced at the view from +their bedroom window, when, their luggage having +been carried upstairs, and their first meeting with +their aunt being over, they had had time to look +about them a little. Their bedroom and their +sister's opened off each other, which was a great +comfort to Kathleen, who had felt very nervous at +the thought of having to sleep alone at a distance +from her brothers; but the rooms, with their pretty +chintz curtains and bright wall-paper, looked so cozy +and cheerful, it would have been difficult to feel +either lonely or timorous, and the boys agreed that, +splendid as they had thought the place would be, +it was ten times more splendiferous and jolly than +they had expected. +</p> + +<p> +And as the day wore on, and they grew acquainted +with all the other young guests at the +Hall, and they had been introduced to the unlimited +beds of strawberries and raspberries, and the actual +acres of gooseberry-bushes in the garden, they could +find no words even in their school vocabulary (which +was extraordinarily large and ample enough) to +express the fulness of their happiness. Aunt Marian +was a stunner, the jolliest cove in England; she +was Al; she was no end of a brick; while Kathleen +gave her, perhaps, the greatest praise of all +when she said she was nearly as nice as her own +mamma. And when at last the first happy day came +to an end, the boys rejoiced to think that the long +mid-summer holidays lay stretched out before them, and +that for seven long weeks this wonderful fairy-tale +life of enjoyment was to last. +</p> + +<p> +Aunt Marian, or Lady Brinsley, as she was known +to the world in general, was the widow of a very +wealthy officer and baronet, who had died many +years ago when engaged on active service in India, +and who had left four young children for his wife +to look after and educate. This trust Lady Brinsley +had carried out with the most zealous love and +watchfulness, and her children well repaid all her +care, for they were quite devoted to their mother, +and made her wishes their law. It was only within +the last two years they had come to live at Jubilee +Hall, the family place, as Lady Brinsley, by her +husband's dying wish, had taken the children abroad +to receive a good foreign education, and also to give +time for the Hall to be put into the most thorough +state of repair and finish, for under its former owner +it had fallen into a partial state of rum. So the +whole place was now in the most perfect order and +beauty; and it was Lady Brinsley's delight and +pride to keep it in this state, and to make the +house thoroughly sociable and comfortable. +</p> + +<p> +"I say," cried Fred, after they had come into +their own room at night, and were preparing for +bed, "this is a regular palace of a house. Did you +see all the wonderful places there are downstairs—cellars, +and china-closets, and dairies, and store-rooms +by the dozen?" +</p> + +<p> +"No," replied Harry; "I don't even know +whereabouts they are. How did you manage to +come across them?" +</p> + +<p class="capcenter"> +<a id="img-030"></a> +<br> +<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-030.jpg" alt="Kathleen ducked down as she was told."> +<br> +Kathleen ducked down as she was told. +</p> + +<p> +"Simply by using my eyes and my legs and a +trifle of brains into the bargain. I was cutting +down one of the passages this afternoon when we +were playing hide-and-seek, when I came across a +funny little round staircase going down from outside +Aunt Marian's boudoir right into the lower part +of the house; so I just crept quietly down it, to see +where it led to, and it was just like the Tower of +London, with all sorts of dark rooms, and some +extraordinary great iron doors, with huge bars across +them, and three or four locks on each. And right +under the last flight of steps, just where it stops +going round and round in a circumbendibus sort of +way, and finishes off like any other flight of steps, +there is one of the jolliest store-rooms you ever saw. +It runs right away under the stairs, and has a +window looking out into the passage; and, my +eyes! if you only saw the rows of shelves, and all +the jolly things on them—boxes and boxes of +preserved fruit, and actual pyramids of lump-sugar, and +figs, and raisins, and crackers, and plum-cake, and a +thousand other rare and delicious things. I'd give +a good deal to have the run of the premises for an +hour, and have leave to grub whatever I liked." +</p> + +<p> +"So should I," joined in Harry. "You must +show me to-morrow where it is. I'd like awfully +to have a squint at it." +</p> + +<p> +"All square; I'll show you the way. But it will +make your mouth water, I can tell you; and all to +no good, as the door is shut as tight as wax, and +there is a wire fence inside of the window that a +gnat couldn't squeeze through, so I would not have +you try it on, old boy." +</p> + +<p> +"My dear fellow, what humbug you are talking; +as if I should want to squeeze into any such place. +A nice cowardly trick it would be, when Aunt +Marian's so awfully good to us, and gives us every +jolly thing to eat or drink which we could possibly +want to have." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, and who said they wanted to get into it?" +</p> + +<p> +"You did." +</p> + +<p> +"No, I didn't." +</p> + +<p> +"You said something very like it then." +</p> + +<p> +"I said nothing within a hundred miles of it." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, have it your own way." +</p> + +<p> +"I'll have my own way, and no thanks to you, +you may be sure of that." said Fred, his voice +waxing louder as his anger grew. "A fellow can't +say it's a fine day without your finding—" +</p> + +<p> +Here the door between the two rooms opened, +and Kathleen put in her little grave face, which +looked very white and frightened. "Boys, what is +the matter?" +</p> + +<p> +"Nothing; go to bed." +</p> + +<p> +"You are not quarrelling, are you?" +</p> + +<p> +"Quarrelling, humbug; shut the door, and cut." +</p> + +<p> +"Mamma told me to be sure and remind you +both to say your prayers before you got into bed." +</p> + +<p> +"Shut the door this instant, or I'll shy a book +at your head!" shouted Fred, losing all command +over his temper. So Kathleen shut the door, and +after a little time, as all remained silent in her +brothers' room, she closed her eyes and fell fast +asleep. +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap04"></a></p> + +<h2> +CHAPTER IV. +<br><br> +A BAD BEGINNING. +</h2> + +<p> +The next morning was just as bright and +pleasant a one as its predecessor had been, +and the boys, forgetful of last night's row, +got up in very good humour both with +themselves and everybody else. They chatted, and +planned, and whistled, and threw bolsters at each +other, and played off several innocent tricks on +Kathleen, until it was nearly time for breakfast, +when Fred, seeing a squirrel dart up a tree just +beside the house, declared he would "go out and +nabble the crittur" as sure as his name was +Frederick; and as his toilet was just completed, he +bolted out of the room in hot chase, forgetting to +read his morning verses or to say his prayers, and +leaving Harry to follow or not as he chose. +</p> + +<p> +What Harry would have done—whether he +would have followed his brother as soon as his +boots were drawn on and his collar and tie neatly +fastened in front, who can say; but, opening the +door of Kathleen's room with exceeding gentleness +and care, so as to be able to send a large hassock at +her head, he saw her kneeling reverently beside her +bed, her hands clasped and her head bent forward +on the counterpane. Harry did not shy the hassock +as he had intended, but instead, when he had closed +the door softly, he knelt down and said his morning +prayers; and when Kathleen entered the room all +ready for breakfast, he asked her to read him out a +chapter while he was finishing his dressing. +</p> + +<p> +Just as the gong for breakfast was sounding, Fred +burst into the bedroom, his coat all covered with the +green powder off the bark of the trees, and a large +rent across the knee of his trousers. +</p> + +<p> +"I say," he cried breathlessly, "the little brute +was nimbler than I thought, and gave me such a +chivy as I haven't had this year—up one tree and +down another, skipping and jumping like a good un. +One time I crept up so dogeously, I had my hand +almost on his bushy tail before he caught sight of +me. I was certain of nabbing him, for the tree was +broken off at the top, and there were no branches +long enough for him to get beyond my reach, when +all at once the little beggar saw me, and, instead of +rushing out on the branch, as I thought he would, +he made one bound on my shoulder, rushed down +my back, and away out of sight before I could say +Jack Robinson. But I say, Kathleen, out with +your needle and thread, and sew up this tear I +have got right across my knee. It's such a straight +one, it won't be seen if you do it properly." +</p> + +<p> +"But the gong has rung, Fred, and I shall be +quite late for breakfast." +</p> + +<p> +"Never mind; I shall be late too. You would +not have one go downstairs like this, would you?" +</p> + +<p> +"No; but could you not put on another pair?" +</p> + +<p> +"Fiddlesticks! that would be too much bother. +If I change one thing, I must change all, for they +would not match; so be quick, and you'll set it +right in no time." +</p> + +<p> +Kathleen got out her needle and thread, and +made the best speed she could; but before the rent +was drawn together many minutes had elapsed, and +when Kathleen, all covered with blushes, followed +her brother into the large dining-hall, morning +prayers were over, and all the guests were assembled +around the breakfast-table, and Aunt Marian, though +she said nothing, looked somewhat grave and put out. +</p> + +<p> +Aunt Marian was a very punctual person herself, +and she wished others to be the same, and above +all she disliked people being late for prayers; +besides which, she thought young persons ought from +the very first to learn habits of order and regularity, +and her own children were brought up in strict +accordance with these ideas. But, nevertheless, she +was exceedingly kind-hearted, and had a large +measure of human pity; and as she noticed the +distress only too visible on Kathleen's face when +she entered the room—a distress which seemed to +increase when she took her place at the table in the +only vacant space immediately opposite the large +bay-window—Aunt Marian called out to her in a +very pleasant voice,— +</p> + +<p> +"Kathleen, my dear, you will get sick if you sit +with your back so close to that fire. Bring up +your chair beside mine, and I will make room for +you at the head of the table." +</p> + +<p> +Oh, how Kathleen thanked her aunt in her heart; +for now, in the process of changing her place at the +table, the cruel blushes (which, in the full light of +the large window, and in view of her friends +opposite, were fast bringing hot tears into her eyes) +would have time to go down, or, at least, to begin +to go down; and now that her aunt had spoken +kindly to her, the sense of disgrace was dispelled, +and she could look her companions in the face. +</p> + +<p> +When she took her place beside her aunt, she +found already a nice hot cake and a roll of fresh +butter deposited upon her plate added; to which, +her aunt kissed her very affectionately as she said +"Good morning," and bade her eat a good breakfast, +as they had a busy day before them; but Kathleen, +full of gratitude, did not know until long +afterwards that Harry had been her champion on this +trying occasion, and had taken the opportunity of +the changing of places to come to her rescue and +whisper across his next neighbour to his aunt,—"It +is not Kathleen's fault that she is late. She +was quite ready when the gong sounded, but she +waited to mend Fred's clothes." And now that all +the company were present, and every one seemed +thoroughly happy and enjoying themselves, Aunt +Marian only waited for the first pause in the clatter +of plates and tongues to make a proposal as to +how she thought the day might be spent so as to +combine a great amount of amusement with a +certain amount of usefulness. +</p> + +<p> +"I am going to make a proposal to the company +at large," she said pleasantly; "and let those who +approve of my plan hold up their right hand." +</p> + +<p> +"Hear, hear," cried several voices amongst the +party, headed by Aunt Marian's own sons. +</p> + +<p> +"I am going to have a grand brewing of jam +this week, and I shall want strawberries and +raspberries, and currants, black, white, and red, and +gooseberries and cherries, gathered in large quantities +for this purpose; and so I propose to make you +all useful as well as ornamental, and ask you to +work in my service, the payment to be deducted on +the spot in the form of the fruit most liked, to be +eaten on the premises—that is to say, during the +process of gathering; but I also propose to give the +one who shall have gathered the largest measure of +fruit in proportion to the time a prize, which prize +shall not be declared until the time of presentation, +and that the winner of the said prize shall for the +rest of the day be looked on as the head of the +company, and select the games or pleasures on which +the remainder of the day is to be spent. Now let all +who approve of this plan hold up their right hands." +</p> + +<p> +It is scarcely necessary to say that every right +hand in the room was extended to its full length, +and that cheers and hurrahs loud and long greeted +this suggestion of Aunt Marian's; and after this, +until the end of breakfast, the hilarity seemed +involuntarily on the increase, until at length Aunt +Marian deemed it wise to give the signal for rising, +and all the company, starting to their feet, made a +rush towards the nearest door like a flock of thirsty +sheep thronging through a gate to the water. +</p> + +<p> +In about half an hour from this time the whole +party were standing ready dressed and watching in +front of the house for Aunt Marian, who had +promised to meet them at that place and furnish them +each with the necessary receptacles for holding the +gathered fruit; nor did she keep them long waiting, +as she appeared a moment or two later followed by +the housekeeper and a couple of footmen, all laden +with tin cans of a uniform size and shape, and lined +with fresh green cabbage leaves. These she +proceeded to dispose of, giving one to each member of +the picking force, and which measure was to be +filled by them with the fruits named on a label +attached to the handle of the can; only those to +whom gooseberries were apportioned, and cherries, +received cans of a larger size, as they would of +course take far less time to pick; and so the whole +matter was arranged with a strict view to justice +and equity. Nor were those who gathered the fruit +named on their labels bound to eat only of that +kind. Both gardens, with all their contents, were +free to their ingress and egress, and no one was +bound to continue his or her labour longer than +they liked: but then, whoever was the most steady +and industrious was to reap a reward, the nature of +which was not yet declared; but Aunt Marian was +very generous, and her presents and prizes were +always worth having, so the whole party started for +the gardens in tip-top spirits, their tin cans glittering +in the brilliant sunshine, and the ring of their +joyous voices resounding through the morning air. +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap05"></a></p> + +<h2> +CHAPTER V. +<br><br> +BERRY-PICKING. +</h2> + +<p> +It would be tedious to recount who ate the +most fruit on the occasion of Aunt Marian's +grand garden-party, while it is our duty +and pleasure to give the name of the one +who gathered the most, and of the one who became +also the happy possessor of Aunt Marian's prize. +</p> + +<p> +All the morning it seemed doubtful who would be +the winner, as all hands seemed to work with an +almost equal zeal, and only those whose fingers were +smaller, and whose skins were more susceptible to +thorns, had less in their cans than the others; but +as luncheon time drew near, and hunger began to +assert itself, there was a visible diminution of work, +and some of the cans even grew less full, as their +owners found it more convenient and satisfactory to +help themselves from the gathered fruit. It was +about this time that Harry found himself close to +Kathleen, having deserted his own class of fruit for +a very promising bush of gooseberries, which bade +fair to satisfy his hunger at a greater rate than any +of the others. +</p> + +<p> +"How have you got on, Katy?" he asked, with +his mouth full of large amber gooseberries, while he +knelt down under the tree the better to enjoy his +meal. "Pooh, is that all?" craning his neck across +the bush and looking into his sister's can; "I +expect you have been devouring largely." +</p> + +<p> +"You expect wrong, then," she answered rather +hotly; "I have not tasted a single one. I made a +promise to myself that I would not taste one until +I had filled my can up to that mark, and I want +ages of reaching it still;" and, as Kathleen spoke, +she pointed to a line scratched round the middle of +the can, so as to divide the inside into two equal +portions. +</p> + +<p> +"My eyes, do you mean to say you have not +tasted any fruit at all, all this time?" +</p> + +<p> +"Not one pick." +</p> + +<p> +"And you have only gathered that little dab at +the bottom of the can?" +</p> + +<p> +"It is not a little dab; it's a whole lot." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, all I can say is the others have gathered +twice as much: you must have been star-gazing, or +perhaps you went to sleep." +</p> + +<p> +"I did nothing of the kind, but it's so awfully +hard to gather raspberries: they all go squash the +moment you take hold of them, and they look so +awfully flat when you put them into the can; and +besides, there are so few really ripe. I have gone +round and round the bushes, and could scarcely find +any." +</p> + +<p> +"Because, you little donkey, you have chosen +nearly the worst spot in the whole garden: if you +will come with me I'll give you a share of my +bushes, and they are the most golliferous ones in +the place; not a soul has found them out but +myself, and it's such a rare good plant my can is half +full already." +</p> + +<p> +"Where is your can?" +</p> + +<p> +"It is hidden under a lot of cauliflowers; I only +came here for a graze, and I'm going back at once." +</p> + +<p> +"Are you sure there are enough for us both?" +</p> + +<p> +"Millions and billions." +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, delightful!" sighed poor Kathleen, whose +little flushed face and scratched hands showed how +hard she had worked. "It's awfully kind of you, +Harry." +</p> + +<p> +"Humbug; but sit down, I say, and have a grub +with me at these ambers. They are the grandest +chaps in all creation; not a bone in their bodies, +and bursting with delicious juice. They are rare +fellows, I can tell you, if you only tried them." +</p> + +<p> +"No," said Kathleen, shaking her head; "I promised +not to take any." +</p> + +<p> +"Promised your fiddlesticks," cried Harry +contemptuously, while he filled his mouth with five or +six yellow monsters; "whom did you promise?" +</p> + +<p> +"I promised myself." +</p> + +<p> +"Ha, ha, ha! promised yourself," roared Harry; +"why, you ought to know by this time, I should +think, that you are nobody, and therefore if you +promised nobody you are not bound to keep your +word. Here, taste this one—it's a real beauty, a +savoury morsel, I can tell you;" and Harry held up +an amber through which the sun shone temptingly. +</p> + +<p> +"No, thank you; I'd rather not." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, have it your own way," cried Harry. "I +made no promise to myself or any one else, so here +goes;" and he transferred the gooseberry to his own +mouth. "Do you know these are filling animals at +the price; I've nearly had as much as I care for, +and the wasps are all buzzing about me like mad." +</p> + +<p> +"Then come on, that's a good boy, and show me +where I am to go on gathering." +</p> + +<p> +"All serene;" and Harry rose from his position +underneath the bush, leaving a mound of empty +skins to mark out to future comers the halting-place +of a hungry spirit; and then, taking Kathleen's +can in one hand, and thrusting the other +through his sister's arm, he walked leisurely on +towards the "rare good plant" he had told her of. +</p> + +<p> +"We had better dodge a bit as we go past the +walks," he whispered; "for if the other chaps +scented our trail they would be down on us like +winkin. Here, duck down beyond these bushes, +and we shall be past the whole lot of them in a +minute." +</p> + +<p> +Kathleen ducked down as she was told, and following +in her brother's footsteps, soon found herself +in quite a grove of raspberry bushes, every one of +which was covered with ripe red fruit, and on which +even Harry's ravages had not as yet made themselves +visible. +</p> + +<p> +"Here we are now," he cried, "in a perfect paradise +of rasps. Ain't I a knowing dog to have found +out such a choice spot for work?" +</p> + +<p> +"Indeed you are," said Kathleen gratefully. "I'm +awfully obliged to you for showing it to me." +</p> + +<p> +"Nonsense; you just go ahead now and pick +away like fun, and I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll +just put a few of my rasps into your can, so as to +give you a good start." +</p> + +<p> +"Oh no, please don't;" but Harry was too excited +to hear her refusal, and was already busy searching +among the tall cauliflowers for his hidden can. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, that's the rummest thing I ever saw!" he +cried presently in great surprise. "I left my can +under this very white-headed chap here, and it's +gone now. I counted him down from the wall, and +he was number six on the first left-hand row; and +now it's nowhere to be found." +</p> + +<p> +"Let me help you. I am sure it is somewhere," +cried Kathleen, instantly deserting her can to come +to her brother's help. "Are you certain it was +under the cauliflowers you hid it?" +</p> + +<p> +"Just as certain as that you are standing there. +I marked this particular 'cauli' because I thought +it looked the image of a white nigger's pate; and +what's more, there is the mark of the can in the soft +clay; look for yourself." +</p> + +<p> +Kathleen, who was at the distance of some rows, +came jumping over them quickly to see the +confirmation of Harry's assertion; but as she leaped +over the last row her foot struck against something +hard, which gave a sharp metallic ring. +</p> + +<p> +"That's it," cried Kathleen. "I'm certain that +was your can I knocked against there. It was very +well I did not upset it and all the fruit into the +bargain." +</p> + +<p> +It was Harry's can, and no mistake; he knew it +by its label, on the back of which, to avoid +mistakes, he had scratched his own name. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, how on earth did the beggar get there?" +said he meditatively. "I am as certain as ever I +was of anything in my life that I did not put it +there. Let's see," he added with a curious whistle, +which expressed better than words the dawning of +some new idea—"let's see if any one has been +poaching on my preserves;" and he raised the two +green leaves which covered the gathered fruit. "Ay, +just so—just what I suspected; somebody has been +prigging out of my can. It was up to this mark +here when I left it"—and he pointed to a little +cross which he had scratched with a stone—"and +now it's down below zero. I do say it's a howling +shame." +</p> + +<p> +"Who could have done it?" asked Kathleen, +with widely-opened eyes of horror. +</p> + +<p> +"That's more than I can tell. There was not a +soul saw me go up this path except Fred, who had +found a splendid 'plant' for himself. Well, come +along—life's too short for getting into passions; and, +besides, I am too like the fat boy in Punch to be +up for much fighting, for I do feel uncommonly as +if my jacket were buttoned. Here"—he added, +taking up the can and carrying it over to the +raspberry bushes—"let me shy all I've got into your +can, and I'll give up the chivy altogether." +</p> + +<p> +"Indeed you must not; you've a splendid lot +there. Go on, and it will soon be quite full." +</p> + +<p> +"Not I; it's too much bother. Of course, whoever +helped themselves out of my can will win the +day; unless, indeed, you let me fill yours up with +what remains of mine, and we'll outwit the dishonest +old fellows with their own weapons. I'd like to +see him, or her, whoever it was, well thrashed. +Here, hold your can." +</p> + +<p> +"No; I would much rather go on gathering for myself." +</p> + +<p> +"Why?" asked Harry, holding his can already +poised over his sister's. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh! because it would be awfully unfair. We +were each to fill our own,—Aunt Marian said so; +and, besides, you'll lose the prize if you do." +</p> + +<p> +"But suppose I want you to win it. I don't +care a straw whether I get it or not, and I'd like +you awfully to have it." +</p> + +<p> +"I know you would, and it's tremendously +good-natured of you, Harry; but, indeed, indeed, it +would not be fair. I would much rather gather +them all myself." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, if you ain't the greatest stickler about +trifles I ever met! However, I think myself you're +pretty near right for all that. So do you pick +away as hard you can, and I'll gather a few more; +for I should not quite like Aunt Marian to think I +was too greedy to care about her jam." +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap06"></a></p> + +<h2> +CHAPTER VI. +<br><br> +THE WINNER OF THE PRIZE. +</h2> + +<p> +Aunt Marian found it very difficult to +decide who was to have the prize; for +though many had brought home very +sorry portions of fruit, others had clearly +gathered with a right good-will, and two +of the company had so well filled their cans, that +not only was the fruit quite up to the rim but it +was piled up in the centre as well, so as to make +the vessel carry as much as possible. +</p> + +<p> +Aunt Marian was reduced at last to weighing the +cans, and thus testing to an ounce who had gathered +the most; and in this manner the question was at +once and definitely set at rest, for one can weighed +a whole pound more than the others. And this can, +having been held up for general inspection, was +claimed by Fred, who was consequently proclaimed +the winner of the prize, and the king of the +afternoon revels. +</p> + +<p> +All the company shouted and cheered, and loud +huzzas sounded through the housekeeper's room, as +Fred, blushing over head and ears, came forward at +Aunt Marian's request. +</p> + +<p> +"I had two prizes prepared," she said, in a +pleasant voice, "in case any two cans had proved of +the same exact weight, and my little friend Kathleen +bade fair, I thought, until I weighed the two +vessels, to have claimed the second one; but the +difference of a whole pound in weight must, of +course, be a decisive proof of victory. So, Master +Frederick Malcomson, allow me to present to you, +in the name of the illustrious jam-picking and +preserving company, this bow, arrow, and quiver, made +of the best wood, well seasoned, and with these +padded guards for your arms and fingers. They +have only just arrived from London; and the case in +which you are to keep them is over there on the +side-table in the window." +</p> + +<p> +Again the shout rose loud and long, and again +Fred blushed until the hot tears actually stood in +his eyes; but so confused was he that he uttered no +word of thanks, but simply took the gift out of his +aunt's hand, and walked away towards the door. +</p> + +<p> +"Before you go, Fred," said Aunt Marian, "I +have a few more words to say." Fred turned back, +and the blush having died out of his face, it now +looked almost deadly white. "To-morrow I am +going to give you all another chance of winning the +second prize." +</p> + +<p> +"Hurrah! hurrah! hurrah!" shouted a chorus of voices. +</p> + +<p> +"The cook is going to make all the preserves +this afternoon, or at least a great part of them, and +to-morrow morning she will finish the remainder, so +that after luncheon all will be ready for the various +pots to be covered. In this I am again going to +claim all your assistance; and whoever should have +neatly covered the largest number of pots by the +time the first gong sounds for dinner, shall have a +prize fully as handsome as the one given to-day; +and if there should be more than one winner, a +prize of the same value shall be given to each." +</p> + +<p> +Once more the vaulted roof of the housekeeper's +room rang with acclamations; and Aunt Marian +having added that of course no one need enter into +the competition who did not like the occupation, left +the room with her fingers tightly pressed over her +ears, that she might not hear the deafening shouts +of her grateful and admiring guests. +</p> + +<p> +Having once taken possession of the housekeeper's +room, the children proceeded to have all kinds of +fun and jollification. They induced the good-natured +old dame to give them raisins and figs, and nuts +and almonds; they ducked for apples, and played +blind-man's-buff, prisoners' base, family coach, &c., +until the housekeeper's patience began to flag, when +one of the party espying a bottle of spirits of wine +in one of the multitudinous presses around the room, +he proceeded to take it down, and having fetched +some salt from the kitchen, he proposed to make a +ghost. This suggestion was hailed with acclamation; +so, pouring the spirits of wine over a large +dish full of salt, he set fire to it, and having got +possession of a long white table-cloth, and a +carpet-twig, he enveloped himself in the cloth, and raising +it to an immense height by the stick and the head +of the twig, which was also secured within the cloth, +he seized on the burning dish, the lurid fumes of +which gave him the most supernatural appearance, +and, followed by all the rest of the party on tip-toe, +he suddenly burst open the door of the still-room, +and with a loud yell displayed himself to the maid +who was at work inside. +</p> + +<p> +The trick was perhaps a trifle too successful, as +the unfortunate girl went off into a violent fit of +hysterics, and Aunt Marian had finally to be +summoned; at which suggestion the whole party +instantly dispersed, and, dropping the twig and cloth +in their flight, hurried away to the garrets of the +Hall, where a sort of gloomy and unfurnished room +offered them a good space for expanding and +exercising their hilarious spirits. +</p> + +<p> +It was not till the gong sounded the half hour +before dinner that the riots upstairs ended, and the +noisy troop came clattering down, each turning off +aside to their own rooms on the various corridors to +dress and to make themselves tidy and neat for +dinner; while Harry and Fred, quite out of breath, +hurried to their room also, for they were nearly +tired out with all the racing and chasing of the day, +and they wanted to have ten minutes' rest before +they began the arduous work of dressing. But +Kathleen, whose toilet was more a work of art, and +who found it difficult enough to put on all her +clothes without the assistance she usually received +at home, went straight to her own room, and began +the tedious task of rearranging her hair, which had +become sadly tossed in the romping and fun upstairs. +</p> + +<p> +The door, however, between the two rooms stood +slightly ajar; and presently Kathleen heard, to her +dismay, the following colloquy taking place between +the two brothers:— +</p> + +<p> +"I say, Fred," cried Harry, who had evidently +just approached the dressing-table to smooth his +hair,—"I say, Fred, here's a note addressed to you +pinned on the pin-cushion. What a rum idea! +I wonder who it can be from?" +</p> + +<p> +"A note for me!" cried Fred, springing up from +the bed on which he had been lounging. "Why, +who on earth could have written to me? It's some +trick some of the fellows have been playing off on +me. Here, chuck it across to me, Harry." +</p> + +<p> +"I doubt its being a trick, for it's uncommonly +like Aunt Marian's handwriting; ain't it? In fact, +I'm sure it is; for I know her F's and M's as well as +I know my own. What can she want to write +to you for, Fred, when you are in the house and +nothing to do but speak to you?" +</p> + +<p> +"I am sure I don't know," replied Fred, who had +now evidently got possession of the letter, for +Kathleen could hear the crackling of the note-paper as he +opened out its folds; and then there followed a +prolonged silence, which was ultimately broken by +Harry. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, Fred, will you never have done reading +that stuff? What is it about?" +</p> + +<p> +"It's simply the greatest piece of humbug I ever +heard of in my life," said Fred in a husky voice, +which evidently betokened both vexation and dismay. +"Because I put five or six stones at the bottom of +my can, to keep the cabbage-leaves in their places, +she says I have not fairly won the prize, and that +Kathleen ought to have it instead of me." +</p> + +<p> +At this Kathleen drew a sharp breath of surprise, +and her lace flushed with the sudden distress of the +moment, while she hesitated painfully whether to +go in and disclaim any wish to rob Fred of his +prize, or to risk the chance of Fred's anger at her +appearance. Harry, however, broke in on her +thoughts with another question. +</p> + +<p> +"And why on earth did you not tell Aunt Marian +the stones were in your can, Fred, when you knew +she was going to weigh it? I think it was a trifle +shabby, I must say." +</p> + +<p> +"Who cares what you think? But it's just the +image of you to come down on a fellow when he's +in a fix." +</p> + +<p> +"Why, what fix are you in?" +</p> + +<p> +"Simply this, that Aunt Marian says if I put +the stones in without thinking of the probability +that the fruit might have to be weighed, she will +allow me to keep the bow and arrow for myself; +but that if I can't answer this question with a clear +conscience—'clear conscience,'—rubbish! interpolated +Fred angrily—"she would rather I put +them back in the boudoir where she could find +them, and that no more would be said to me on the +subject; but that in any case she thinks Kathleen +ought to get a prize, as, without the stones, her can +weighed half a pound more than mine." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, I must say that sounds as fair as fair can +be," cried Harry, when his brother had ended his +complaint. "Of course, if you didn't put the stones +in on purpose, it's all right; and if you did, why, +it was simply cheating, and you have no right +whatever to the prize." +</p> + +<p> +"I'd like to see how you make that out," cried +Fred hotly. +</p> + +<p> +"Why, just this way: When you put the stones +in your can this morning, did it come into your +head that the fruit might be weighed afterwards, or +not?" +</p> + +<p> +"That's a simply absurd question. How can I +tell what came into my head? I might have +thought a thousand things and never remembered +them afterwards." +</p> + +<p> +"But did you recollect, when you saw Aunt +Marian taking the cans into the larder to be weighed, +that you had put the stones into yours?" +</p> + +<p> +"Well, suppose I did; what then?" +</p> + +<p> +"Why, there is no more to be said about it If +you did know the stones were in it, and yet made +no remark, it was simply cheating and nothing else." +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, what a wonderfully honest fellow you are, +to be sure! You did not offer to put some of your +own raspberries into Kathleen's can this morning, +did you? because you did not care about the prize +yourself, and you wanted her to have it. That +would have been 'as fair as fair could be,' of course; +but to help to fill mine with stones is cheating." +</p> + +<p> +"I know I was wrong," cried Harry, speaking +confusedly in his turn. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh yes! of course you can say that now." +</p> + +<p> +"I knew it then, and confessed it too, when +Kathleen said she would not do it; and, what's +more, unless you had been hiding somewhere you +could never have heard what we said. I had a +pretty sharp guess before now who it was helped +himself out of my can of rasps, but now I know it." +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, boys!" cried Kathleen, opening the door +with tearful eyes, and flushed, anxious face. "The +gong will sound in a moment, and you will not be +dressed; and as to the prize—indeed—indeed, +Fred, I don't want it, and I would much rather you +had it." +</p> + +<p> +"Don't say that to him; he ought to put it +back," cried Harry hurriedly, dragging on his +evening jacket; but before Fred could utter his +indignant reply, the gong did sound, and there was no +time for more words. +</p> + +<p> +The three children all looked uncomfortable and +nervous enough when they entered the dining-room; +while heavy tears of wounded pride shone far back +in Fred's eyes; but in the general clatter and bustle +of the meal, their appearance attracted little attention. +</p> + +<p> +Aunt Marian said nothing to Fred, but immediately +after dinner she went out by the far door +leading into her boudoir, and remained away some +time. When she returned, she seemed, Kathleen +thought, rather distressed and unhappy; but, with +her usual good-nature, she immediately set about +entertaining and amusing her guests, and, according +to the morning's agreement, made Fred the director +and promoter of all the fun. +</p> + +<p> +Fred, however, was not in his customary spirits, +and Harry was decidedly out of sorts, so the evening +flagged a little, and the games had not their usual +zest for the company. Thus all seemed equally +glad when the revels were pronounced over for the +night, and that the time for bed had come. +</p> + +<p> +Kathleen, on whose eyelashes the tears had been +hanging all the evening, slipped up nearly the first, +and hid herself in the darkness of her own room, +that she might cry out the trouble that was +oppressing her. But when she did at length light her +candle, and had set it down on the table, quite a +sharp cry burst from her lips; for there, almost +under her very fingers, lay a spacious parcel directed +to herself, with "First Prize" printed on its cover +in large letters. +</p> + +<p> +Poor Kathleen! At another time her heart +would have throbbed with ecstatic joy at the sight +of the beautiful rosewood desk, completely and +elaborately furnished with every sort of handsome +writing materials; but as it was, she only closed +the lid with a sob, and wished with all her heart +that the day's trial had ended, as it had promised to +do in the forenoon, in Fred's victory and triumph +instead of his discomfiture and disgrace. +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap07"></a></p> + +<h2> +CHAPTER VII. +<br><br> +THE VOICE OF CONSCIENCE. +</h2> + +<p> +Kathleen did not venture to show her +desk to Fred the following morning, +especially as she could hear from the +tone of his voice in speaking to his +brother that he was in no pleasant frame +of mind. But when breakfast was over, and Fred +had gone out for a stroll, she called Harry into +her room, and exhibited to him, with a mixture of +pride and distress, the beautiful prize which her +aunt had so generously given her. +</p> + +<p> +"It's without any exception the most gorgeous +thing of the kind I ever saw!" cried Harry, raising +up the flaps and surveying the paper and envelopes, +the pencils, pens, knives, scissors, india-rubber, +sealing wax, &c., &c., with which it was filled. "It is +simply A1, and I am delighted you got it!" +</p> + +<p> +"Yes; but I am not quite sure whether I ought +to keep it." +</p> + +<p> +"Ought to humbug! I can't for the life of me +see why you need feel any scruple about it. You +won the prize fairly, and Fred did not." +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, that's the very thing; for, don't you see, +Harry, if I keep the desk, then Aunt Marian will +either feel sure Fred put the stones in on purpose, +or she will think I,"—here Kathleen hesitated, +suddenly perceiving she had no real ground of +argument to put forward. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, she'll think what?" asked Harry magisterially. +"You girls have as much idea of explaining +things clearly as a frog has of flying. I know +perfectly well what the fix is that you are in. You +think it will appear greedy in you to accept a prize +as well as Fred, when there was such a small +difference in the weight of the two cans; and, besides, +you are just shaking in your two shoes at the thought +of Fred's anger when he finds out that Aunt Marian +has given the first prize to you instead of to +him,—now, is not that it, old girl?" +</p> + +<p> +"It is; at least it's nearly that," murmured +Kathleen, nervously; "only I wish,"—here a painful +blush covered all her face,—"I wish, Harry, if you +could see Fred, you would tell him that if he will +go and put back the bow in Aunt Marian's boudoir, +I will give him this desk as soon as ever we go home." +</p> + +<p> +"Indeed, you'll do nothing of the kind." +</p> + +<p> +"Please, please, Harry." +</p> + +<p> +"Gammon! I never heard such rubbish. You +won your prize as fairly as you could, and he has +not the faintest right to it in any way. He +crammed himself with fruit the whole time the +others were hard at work. He then supplied his can +out of mine, which was awfully shabby of him; and +then he put five large stones into the bottom of his, +so as to make it weigh more than the others. I +think he was an awful sneak to do such a mean +thing, and I told him so this morning; but he turns +on me every time I speak to him. He says I was as +bad as he was, and that I wanted to fill your can +out of mine, which was quite as sneaky if not +worse. I don't think it would have been quite fair +of me to do it, I must say, but still there is a +difference somewhere between the two things if I could +put it into words." +</p> + +<p> +"You wanted to help me, and he only wanted +to help himself," suggested Kathleen, meditatively; +"and besides, you gave up your chance of the prize +in my favour. But for all that, if I had won it I +should not have kept it, for I should have known it +was not mine fairly, and I could never have +explained it all to Aunt Marian." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, you have expressed yourself clearly for +once in your life. And now let us think what is +best to be done, for I can't bear the idea of Fred's +chousing Aunt Marian out of that splendid bow; +and besides, if he lets himself do a thing like that +once, he'll be ten times as likely to do the same +kind of thing again, and perhaps get into a worse +scrape. Suppose you and I go down and have +a <i>parlez-vous</i> with him—eh, Kathleen?" +</p> + +<p> +"Very well, whatever you like; but he never +minds what I say." +</p> + +<p> +"Doesn't he though? I can tell you what, old +lady, bad as you are, whenever you tell me a thing +is not right which I'm doing, it sticks there like a +bone in my throat; and though I often swallow it +down in a rage, and take my own way, still I +generally do turn it over in my mind, and give over +whatever it was that was wrong. And Fred's just +the same, only he has a way of telling himself that +things aren't wrong which I don't understand; or, +even supposing they are wrong, he thinks if you +aren't found out it's no matter, and that to my mind +is the worst of all." +</p> + +<p> +"Yes," replied Kathleen, "much the worst." +</p> + +<p> +"And now, what do you think he says?" +</p> + +<p> +"What?" asked Kathleen. +</p> + +<p class="capcenter"> +<a id="img-062"></a> +<br> +<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-062.jpg" alt=""I am so glad I have met you.""> +<br> +"I am so glad I have met you." +</p> + +<p> +"Why, that very likely he did put the stones in +to keep down the leaves,—that he does not exactly +know why he put them in. And at the beginning, +you remember, he never denied that he put them in +on purpose. But that's just it, he can persuade +himself to think anything he likes, and then he grows +to believe in what he has made himself think. But, +I say, let us go out and try to find him; and if we +can only catch him in a good humour, we might +coax him to put back the bow. The best thing +to put it on will be poor mother; for, you know, +if it ever came to her ears, she'd simply never get +over it." +</p> + +<p> +The children found Fred strolling in the sycamore +walk. He was sauntering along with his hands in +his pockets, and kicking little pebbles in front of +him, as he went along, with the toe of his boot; but +he was neither whistling nor singing, as was his +wont, and his gait had a certain air of depression +about it that both Kathleen and Harry instinctively +recognized. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, what are you following me for?" he asked, +as he turned at the sound of their footsteps, and saw +them coming rather nervously forward to meet him. +</p> + +<p> +"We guessed you were dodging about somewhere +in these diggings," said Harry, speaking first, "and +we wanted to see you before we began the +jam-covering." +</p> + +<p> +"What for?" asked Fred, kicking another large +pebble along the walk, and his brow darkening. "I +should think you and I had had enough of each +other's company this morning." +</p> + +<p> +"Come along, Fred, old boy, and don't be so +cranky," cried Harry, taking his brother by the +shoulder and thrusting his hand through his arm. +"I want awfully to pal up with you, and make +things straight if we can. You see Katy and I +have been thinking what an awful thing it will be +if mother comes to hear about this tin-can affair; and +she'll be so cut up about it that I don't think she'll +ever get over it, and the whole thing could be set +straight so easily." +</p> + +<p> +"Oh ay, I daresay it's an awfully easy thing, is +it not, to go and say, 'I did cheat, and you found me +out, and so I can't help making a clean breast of it'? +I tell you now, Harry, once for all, if you and +Kathleen have come down here to wheedle me into +putting the bow back, I'll see you further first before +I'll do it, and that's an end of it." +</p> + +<p> +"But, Fred, only think." +</p> + +<p> +"Think! I've thought until I'm blue in the +face with thinking, and the more I think the more +certain I am I did nothing but what was quite fair, +or, at least, no worse than any one else; so if you've +no more to say you had better cut off about your +business." +</p> + +<p> +"You'll come in for the jam-covering, won't you?" +asked Kathleen anxiously. +</p> + +<p> +"Not I. I've just as much idea of pasting on old +jam covers as I have of putting a cover on myself. +Besides, I am not going to run the risk of another +affectionate note from my aunt, telling me that I +cheated, or, perhaps, accusing me of taking a little +out of each pot I covered. No, no; once is enough +for that kind of thing." +</p> + +<p> +"If you don't come in, Aunt Marian will think +you are afraid, or ashamed." +</p> + +<p> +"Afraid! If you think there is any danger of +that, I'll go in this very instant and give them such +a piece of my mind that I'll pull the whole house +down about their ears. Afraid, indeed!" and Fred +pushed on before them with great strides of anger. +</p> + +<p> +"We had better leave him alone," whispered +Harry. "He's in a stunner of a temper." +</p> + +<p> +"But he won't go in and say anything to Aunt +Marian, will he?" +</p> + +<p> +"Not he; he has just as much idea of doing so +as I have. He is just blustering all round the +compass because he knows he's in the wrong. Oh, how +I wish mother were here. Two words from her +would set him as right as a trivet; but I'm such an +ass, I always manage to make things worse. See, +he has turned in exactly the opposite direction to +the Hall. I would not be inside his jacket for a +great deal." +</p> + +<p> +Harry was quite correct in all his surmises. Fred +had not the smallest intention of going to beard his +aunt in her own home; on the contrary, his own +desire was to escape from her sight. Although he +tried to force his conscience into the belief that he +had not acted dishonestly, or at least not more +dishonestly than Harry had also tried to do, still he +felt a guilty tremor rush all over and through every +fibre of his body when he thought of coming face to +face with his aunt, and foresaw the conversation +which would most probably ensue; and thus he bad +brought himself to the cowardly determination to +absent himself altogether from the afternoon's +employment. But oh the longing he had that he could see +his mother,—that he could have just a few moments' +conversation with her, and tell her all. She was so +kind, so easy to speak to, he could confess all to her +without trouble or fear, and could ask her for help +and advice. She would explain to Aunt Marian +how all had happened, and return the bow to the +boudoir, which he had not the courage to do, and +which he was too proud to allow his brother or sister +to do for him; and Fred, when well out of sight of +the others, in the sombre shade of the close-growing +pines, threw himself down on the grass and cried, +bitterly exclaiming between every sob, "Oh, mother, +why are you not here; why, why are you not here, +and then all would be well?" +</p> + +<p> +In his grief and utter misery of mind Fred's heart +rushed out spontaneously to the mother who had +been all to him in his life. He had been in his +childhood a delicate boy, and therefore of necessity +his mother had watched over him with a peculiar +care, and had shielded him from the troubles and +sorrows of boyhood with a zealous watchfulness; and +now that he had outgrown his former delicacy, and +had to push his way through the rough world like +the others, he turned at every rude breath to the +shelter of her side, and still tried to draw the +strength of his character from hers. +</p> + +<p> +But those who choose willingly to lean all their +weight on a human friend, must some time or other +come to find that the reed, though it may bend and +bow almost to the ground with its willingness to +endure and be leaned upon, must give way some +time, and then the fall is all the more helpless and +hopeless. And this Fred's mother had many a time +pointed out to her son, imploring of him in his +troubles, which were many, to go to a higher and +more certain Friend, and to draw help and succour +from Him. She knew how frail her own life was, +and she knew equally well the weakness of Fred's +nature,—a nature keenly susceptible to pain and +terribly open to the attacks of temptation,—and she +had hesitated long and long before she consented to +accept the invitation to Jubilee Hall; but in the +end she and her husband had felt that it was well +to give Fred the opportunity of acting and thinking +for himself, and for testing how far his strength of +character could be relied on. +</p> + +<p> +Could Fred only have listened to the pleading +voice that had been urging him on to the easy and +silent confession of his guilt demanded from him by +his aunt, how immeasurably better it would have +been for him: for conscience, once rudely thrust aside +with a resolute hand, lies often silent and crushed, +and allows perhaps a worse error to creep in unnoticed +and unopposed; the truth of which terrible danger +Fred was also but too soon to experience. But for +the present, blind as he was to the future and the +temptation creeping silently at his heels, he only +thought of the trouble which oppressed him, and +not of the guilt which stood as yet unrepented of +and unforgiven before the throne of God. +</p> + +<p> +Fred, with his face on the grass and his hands +pressed on his ears, did not hear in his trouble the +sound of footsteps approaching slowly and lightly +over the moss-covered ground, nor did the fear of +any one's stumbling accidentally upon his retreat +enter into his calculations for a moment. It was +therefore in no low or suppressed accents of pain or +entreaty that he called on his mother for help and +assistance, and sobbed out his grief into the ferns +and creeping ivy leaves. +</p> + +<p> +Once a sound had startled him, and he had raised +his head in terror, but it was only a cock pheasant +calling to his mate; and in the intense stillness of all +around him the rabbits were eating peacefully close +by, or stroking the muffled down on their faces +with their velvety and heathery paws. +</p> + +<p> +But beyond this wild copse, where in the autumn +the gun of the gamekeeper often made sad havoc, +ay Aunt Marian's dairy-farm, in which she took a +warm interest, and which, when time allowed, she +personally superintended. This morning she had +gone down to see the calves fed, and to doctor a +poor heifer which had leaped a wire fence and hurt +itself severely, and the time had glided so quickly by +that she had not noticed it was nearly luncheon time +until the farmyard bell had sounded for the +workmen's dinner, and she knew that only ten minutes +intervened between this bell and the gong which +announced to the assembled guests that luncheon +was on the table. She chose, therefore, the short +cut through the wood, walking quickly though +lightly, and arousing at every footstep some wild +inhabitant of the copse; but when she had traversed +about half the way she paused for a moment, hearing +a cry of pain which seemed to come somewhere +from the ground close by. She fancied at first that +it was a wounded cat which had crawled somewhere +among the ferns to die; for the gamekeeper had no +compassion on these semi-wild animals, which ate his +young rabbits and rifled the nests of the young game +fledgelings, and from many a branch in the wood +depended the dead bodies of three or four of these +marauders. But as she paused, Aunt Marian caught +distinctly the sound of a human voice, and approaching +a few steps nearer heard, with pain and self-reproach, +Fred's piteous lamentations and the cry for +his mother's help, which brought quick and hot tears +to her eyes, and for a moment made her irresolute +whether to pass on noiselessly, or to stop and proffer +her assistance and comfort to the boy. +</p> + +<p> +Aunt Marian had a very soft heart, especially +towards boys, and boys' tears could move her into +an almost foolish weakness; and now Fred's sobbing +appeal for his mother's love suddenly and effectually +melted her heart from a kind of growing dislike and +distrust of her nephew to a feeling of tender +sympathy and compassion. +</p> + +<p> +She paused, however, a moment before making +known her presence, to settle in what manner she +should address him. She feared increasing his +distress, and her whole anxiety at the moment was +how but to reassure and encourage him. +</p> + +<p> +"Fred," she said presently, in a somewhat low +but very cordial voice as she advanced to meet him, +"I am so glad I have met you." +</p> + +<p> +Fred started up, his cheeks blotched with tears +and his eyes dazed and misty; but the moment he +recognized his aunt a rush of crimson blood covered +every inch of his face, and the expression of shame +and alarmed surprise seemed to intensify the +confusion and awkwardness of the meeting. +</p> + +<p> +But Aunt Marian had looked for confusion and +awkwardness of manner at so unexpected a rencounter, +and in her sudden flow of sympathy she did +not recognize the look of guilt and shame. +</p> + +<p> +"Fred," she continued kindly, stretching out her +hand to the boy, who now stood embarrassed and +blushing before her, "I have just found you in the +nick of time, for the workmen's bell has rung, and +I shall certainly be late for luncheon, unless you can +take this heavy basket from my hand and allow me +to walk free." +</p> + +<p> +"Of course I will, aunt," said Fred, his natural +politeness of manner coming to his aid, though he +shrank nervously from the thought of the long <i>tête à +tête</i> walk home together to the Hall. +</p> + +<p> +"May I take your arm," she continued in a +peculiarly soft and pleasing voice; "for I have been +standing so long in the dairy fields I am quite tired. +I always make my own boys my walking-sticks," +she added, with a short laugh, "and as they are not +here, I must enlist you in my service." +</p> + +<p> +"Certainly, aunt," replied Fred, growing much +more at ease under the healing influence of Lady +Brinsley's kindness. +</p> + +<p> +She took his arm, and they walked on through +the copse, Aunt Marian keeping the conversation +going with descriptions of the wild cats and their +thieving propensities, and telling him the quaint +sayings of the head gamekeeper, an Irishman, who +was quite a character and full of genuine wit and +humour. She also promised him a day's shooting +with the same gamekeeper, if his father had no +objection to his handling a gun; and Fred, by the +time they had come within sight of the Hall, felt +comparatively at his ease and very grateful for his +aunt's kindness and good-natured tact. +</p> + +<p> +It was not until they were within a few paces of +the massive oak door of the Hall that the dreaded +topic was touched on, and Fred was so comparatively +off his guard, that his aunt was in the thick of the +subject before he almost understood what she was +saying. +</p> + +<p> +"You'll come, of course, and give a helping hand +in the jam-covering this afternoon," she said, taking +the basket from his arm and moving a little forward. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh yes, of course." Fred felt so much at his +ease with his aunt now, that he had no fear or +dislike to the occupation, and he answered without +hesitation or reserve. +</p> + +<p> +"I'm glad of that," she said quickly and without +looking round; "for I'm afraid,"—here feeling her +own cowardice she turned and looked Fred full in +the face,—-"for I fear I have acted very ungenerously +towards you, and accused you of a fault which I +fully believe now you had no intention of committing. +We all of us," she added kindly, tears springing +up into her eyes, "make mistakes sometimes, +and judge hastily and without sufficient grounds; +but I know, Fred, you will believe me when I say +how truly sorry I am for having given you so much +pain, and that I beg of you not to think of the +subject any more." +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, Aunt Marian, please don't, don't say such +things," cried Fred, his heart leaping up into his +throat and his eyes also filling with impetuous tears. +"You, you—Aunt Marian, don't go into the house, +please; I—I—" +</p> + +<p> +But Aunt Marian had said what she had been +struggling to gather courage for during the last ten +minutes; and she was now inside the doorway and +hurrying up the stairs to take off her out-door +clothes before the gong should summon the guests +to luncheon. +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap08"></a></p> + +<h2> +CHAPTER VIII. +<br><br> +COVERING THE JAM. +</h2> + +<p> +When Fred entered the luncheon-room a +few minutes after the gong had sounded, +with bright face, easy manner, and a +general air of satisfaction, Kathleen and +Harry could scarcely believe the testimony +of their eyes; and when further, in reply to +a question of their aunt, he undertook to marshal +the whole bevy of jam-coverers to the housekeeper's +room as soon as luncheon should be ended, their +amazement almost amounted to disbelief, and many +glances, expressive of surprise and curiosity, were +exchanged between them, with mutual elevations of +the eyebrows, to explain that neither party was in +the secret of this great and unlooked-for change. +</p> + +<p> +"I say," said Harry, getting close to his brother +as they went out into the passage preparatory to +going downstairs, "have you done it after all? I +guess you have; and if so, you're no end of a brick." +</p> + +<p> +"Done what?" said Fred testily, as he pushed +Harry aside with his elbow; "of course I haven't; +but it's all as right as a trivet, and aunt and I are +the best of friends." +</p> + +<p> +"Then you have told her?" +</p> + +<p> +"Do be quiet, will you, Harry? and not call +every one's attention to me and my affairs. I tell +you I have done nothing of the kind, and don't +intend either. Aunt Marian has been awfully +good-natured to me, and she says it's all right; and I +suppose if she says so, you need not trouble yourself +about it." +</p> + +<p> +Harry was hustled away from his brother's side +and his hopes and fears made light of; but still, +though Fred said he need not trouble himself about +the matter, he could not help doing so. He drew +Kathleen aside into the shadow of the coal-vault, +and there they stood and argued the whole question +backwards and forwards in timid whispers and in +much anxiety on Fred's account, as they both felt +the whole thing would come to light some day or +other, and that then his case would be even more +desperate than it seemed now; and besides, Kathleen +could not imagine Fred looking so happy and +buoyant if he still had the heavy weight of deception +and guilt hanging round his neck. +</p> + +<p> +"I do believe he has brought himself to think +that he has done nothing either wrong or shabby, +else he could never look so sprag," said Harry with a +parting sigh; "and I'm afraid there ain't much use +in our trying to undeceive him. He only gets into +awful waxes when I go in at him, and says even +worse things than he feels. What do you think, +Katy?" +</p> + +<p> +"I think—I hope," she whispered, "that when +we go home he will tell mamma all about it, and +she will be able to speak to him so much better +than we can; and besides, she can explain everything +to Aunt Marian, and perhaps things may come right +in the end." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, we must just hope so," said Harry; "but +I can't bear to see Aunt Marian imposed on. I see +perfectly well, by all she says and does, that she +thinks she has accused Fred unjustly; and it's +awfully shabby of him to act up to it. Not but +that I might do the same myself if I were in his +place," he added humbly. "But I say, Katy, there +are rats in this cellar. I hear something rustling in +the corner. Oh, I see something white; let's cut +and run;" and in another moment, with somewhat +grimy hands and white faces, the two children took +their places at the long deal table where the process +of covering the jam had already begun. +</p> + +<p> +Fred was seated at the head of the table, busily +engaged in dispensing paper, gum, and innumerable +pairs of scissors to his subs; and not a lingering +cloud of trouble seemed to overshadow his +good-humoured affability. When he chose to be amusing +and pleasant, there was no one who could make +himself more generally agreeable; and "Bravo, +Fred!" "That's a good fellow, Fred!" might be +heard at intervals from various admirers round the +table as he laid down some maxims couched in the +most absurd language, or made some buffoonish +grimace. And thus the afternoon wore on in the +most peaceful and perfect harmony; and whenever +Aunt Marian looked in on her guests, she saw with +genuine delight all the heads busily bent over their +work, and heard the peals of laughter at each fresh +pun or joke perpetrated by one of the company. +</p> + +<p> +"I say, Harry," she said, kindly laying her hand +on her nephew's shoulder, "what's gone wrong with +you this evening? I see all the rest laughing and +as merry a& crickets, but I don't think you and +Kathleen have smiled once. You are not ill, are you?" +</p> + +<p> +"Oh no, thank you, aunt, I am quite well. It's +awfully jolly work this jam-covering, and I like it +awfully; really I do." +</p> + +<p> +Poor Harry's confusion was evident to the whole +table, and Aunt Marian good-naturedly desisted +from asking any further question. +</p> + +<p> +"When the jam is all covered, I must ask for +your assistance in putting it by," she said presently, +addressing the assembled company; "some of the +shelves are too high for me to reach up to, and +besides I think you would like to see my store-room, +which I consider is one of the most comfortable +rooms in the house." +</p> + +<p> +Of course, the boys and girls around the table +were loud in their acquiescence, and the snipping +and snapping of the various pairs of scissors seemed +to proceed even more rapidly than before. +</p> + +<p> +"I say, what a regiment of jam pots that brother +of yours has managed to cover with all his +tomfoolery and joking. I never saw such a fellow for +being first in at everything," said young Maurice +Brinsley, looking across the table at Fred, whose +row of neatly covered preserves certainly seemed +more numerous than any of the others. "He won +the prize for the jam-picking, and now he's going to +bag this one as well. How does he manage it, I wonder?" +</p> + +<p> +"I am sure I don't know," replied Harry, not +raising his head from his own work; "I have been +so busy looking after my own affairs, I never saw +how fast he had got on." +</p> + +<p> +"I can't imagine how he managed to get his can +filled so quickly yesterday," continued Maurice +innocently, "for he and I went in for a grub of +black currants that lasted till we were both fairly +done; and though I picked hard for the rest of the +time, I had not half filled my can, so I could +scarcely believe my eyes or my ears when I saw his +tin handed in, and afterwards heard he had got +first prize." +</p> + +<p> +"But he did not get first prize," replied Harry, +forgetting for the moment what might be the result +of his confidence. "It was Kathleen who really +won it; for—for there was a mistake somewhere, +but Aunt Marian set it all right afterwards." +</p> + +<p> +"How! a mistake! I don't quite understand." +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, nothing; it was only some stones which +Fred had put at the bottom of his can to keep the +leaves down. At least, that's to say, there were +some stones, and of course that made his can weigh +heavier than hers." +</p> + +<p> +"You don't mean to say that Fred put stones +into his can after all?" +</p> + +<p> +"Why 'after all'?" asked Harry open-mouthed. +</p> + +<p> +"Why, because when he and I were grubbing at +the currants, I said for fun, 'What a lark it would +be to fill one's can with stones and put only a layer +of fruit at the top, and then to see mother's face of +surprise when she came to weigh the fruit;' but—" +</p> + +<p> +"Then he did think she would weigh it?" said +Harry again, speaking more in accordance with his +own thoughts than with the prudence his brother +might have expected from him. +</p> + +<p> +"Of course we knew she would have to weigh +the cans, or at least, we felt more or less certain of +it. But I say, Harry," here Maurice sunk his voice +suddenly to a whisper, "Fred's got his eyes fixed on +us, and he don't seem to like our conversation." +</p> + +<p> +"Pooh! who cares?" replied Harry hotly. But +for all that he went on with his work, and after this +a general lack of conversation seemed to fall over +all the company, Fred setting them the example by +a stony and somewhat sullen silence. +</p> + +<p> +"I expect you'll catch it by-and-by," whispered +Maurice into Harry's ear. +</p> + +<p> +"Of course you'll not repeat anything I have said +to you?" replied Harry nervously. He was beginning +to think he had perhaps inculpated his brother, +and yet he possessed no certainty of his guilt. +</p> + +<p> +"I! of course not; it would only drag you into +a row, and do no good;—but I must say, if he did +put stones in his can after all the talk we had about +it, it was a howling shame, and no mistake." +</p> + +<p> +When the first gong sounded and the time for +dressing for dinner had arrived, Aunt Marian entered +the housekeeper's room to adjudge the prize; and again +on this occasion, without any doubt or even loophole +for suspicion, Fred's quick and neat fingers had +gained the day. He had covered a round dozen +more than any of the others, with five minutes +allowed to him for dispensing the necessary materials; +and this time the prize was a box containing a complete +set of lawn-tennis, all beautifully packed into +different compartments, and the whole case of a +portable size, and fitted with a good lock and key. +</p> + +<p> +Fred was more than satisfied with his aunt's +choice. He had wished every day since he came to +Jubilee Hall that they had lawn-tennis at The +Cedars; and he had even planned in his own mind +whereabouts the game could be best played, and the +shady spots where garden-seats could be placed for +lookers on; and now his aunt had forestalled his +wishes, and when he went home he would be able +to set it up at once, and have capital games in the +autumn. He thanked his Aunt Marian again and +again in the most grateful and enthusiastic manner, +and not a few of the company envied him the +possession of such a prize. +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap09"></a></p> + +<h2> +CHAPTER IX. +<br><br> +AUNT MARIAN'S STORE-ROOM +</h2> + +<p> +"Now, Fred, listen to me," observed Harry the +following morning, when, breakfast being +over, they all sallied out in front of the +house for a stroll, "if you are going to +come it over me in this way I won't stand +it, and that's an end of it." +</p> + +<p> +"How come it over you?" said Fred slowly and +indifferently, as he pretended to follow the flight of +a distant wood-pigeon. +</p> + +<p> +"I mean sticking me into Coventry, and riding +your high horse." +</p> + +<p> +"I'll ride any horse I like, high or low, without +asking your leave." +</p> + +<p> +"Very well, ride away, and do just as you like; +but if you go on with these airs to Kathleen and me +which you have kept up all yesterday afternoon and +this morning, I'll go my way, that's all." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, and what's your way, may I ask?" +</p> + +<p> +"Simply, I shall go straight to Aunt Marian's +boudoir and let her hear the whole matter out, every +word and syllable from beginning to end; for, to +tell you the truth, I am getting dog-tired of this +kind of life. When we came here first I was as +jolly as a sand-boy, and now I'm sick of the place, +and of everybody and everything." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, that's not my fault." +</p> + +<p> +"It is your fault, it's altogether your fault; for +every atom of this wretchedness has come out of that +odious heap of stones which you put into your can." +</p> + +<p> +"Humbug! how on earth can that harm you? If +it hurts any one it's me, and that's my own affair." +</p> + +<p> +"How can a thing be only your affair, when it +has made, and does make, so many people miserable?" +</p> + +<p> +"You are talking simple rubbish, Harry, and I +defy you to prove one word of what you say, +except, indeed, so far as concerns yourself and +Kathleen; and as any one with two eyes in his head +can see what a pleasure it is to you both to be +miserable, I don't see how you can blame me for it." +</p> + +<p> +Harry's face and eyes perfectly flamed with +indignation at Fred's justification of his conduct, +and a host of passionate words came rushing hotly +to his lips, but Maurice's voice being heard in the +shrubbery-walk close at hand, he constrained himself +to silence, and walking a step or so forward he +picked some pebbles from the gravelled walk and +began slinging them at random across the lawn. +</p> + +<p> +"And what's more," cried Fred, roused to a sudden +recollection by the sound of his cousin's voice, +"I don't see what right you have to call me a sneak +and a cheat, and all that, when you go peaching on +me behind my back to Maurice, and setting all +kinds of suspicions afloat about me, when you may +be quite as wrong as—as—" +</p> + +<p> +"As you are," replied Harry shortly. "But as I +said before, I'm sick of this sort of life, and of this +house and this place; and jolly and delightful as I +thought it at first, I'd a million times rather be at +home now; and if things don't change from what +they are soon, I'll write and ask father and mother +to come over for us." +</p> + +<p> +"Bosh!" said Fred, "as if father or mother +would come even if you did write. Of course they +wouldn't, unless there was some good reason for +bringing them over, and I'd like to know where +you'd find that." +</p> + +<p> +"Easily enough," murmured Harry beneath his +breath; and then, having remained a long ten +minutes looking at the beds of flowers all about and +around him, he turned towards his brother, and, +with quite another tone of voice and expression of +face, exclaimed,—"Fred." +</p> + +<p> +"Well." +</p> + +<p> +"Listen; I'll say it all for you, if you like." +</p> + +<p> +"Say what?" +</p> + +<p> +"I'll go now and see Aunt Marian, and make +everything straight, you'll see, when I have told her +all; and how at the beginning you didn't mean—at +least—well, never mind, I'll promise you I'll say it +the best way it can be said; and then we shall both +be so awfully glad when it's off our minds, shan't +we, Fred?" +</p> + +<p> +"I am sure I don't know," replied Fred, swinging +his long legs backwards and forwards beneath +the iron chair on which he had seated himself; "you +always make such mountains out of mole-hills, a +fellow never knows what your opinion is worth. I +can't for the life of me see that I've done anything +so very wrong; in fact, I should never have +thought of it a second time, only you and Kathleen +pulled such awfully long faces at me, that you +turned me sour and cross whether I would or not; +and for all I know, if you had left me alone I +might have set the whole thing straight in a jiffy." +</p> + +<p> +Fred had a way of putting things that often +puzzled Harry sorely, and made him feel for the +time as if wrong were right and right wrong; and +as Fred now sought to shove the burden of his +fault on Harry's shoulders, so Harry began to +wonder and question himself if it might not be quite +true what his brother said, and that, if he had only +left him alone, he would have seen the right course +to take, and have followed it. "I know I always +do bungle things," replied he humbly; "and I know +people hate being bothered into things." +</p> + +<p> +It was Fred's turn now to grow distressed and +uneasy. He made no reply for some minutes to +Harry's last speech, but kept his eyes fixed on +a large fuchsia in a neighbouring bed, evidently +thinking anxiously on some subject. At last he +said, with a nervous effort to appear quite at his +ease, "I'll tell you, Hal, what I'll do. As you seem +to take it so much to heart, as soon as ever I go +home I'll have a talk with mother on the whole +affair, and tell her exactly how the land lies; and +if she thinks I oughtn't to keep the prize, I'll give +it up, or I'll get her to return it, which comes to +the same thing, and that will set all to rights, +won't it, Harry?" +</p> + +<p> +"Are you really in earnest?" asked Harry, his +whole face glowing from the sudden and unlooked-for +relief; "for if you are, I'll say you're a brick, +and no mistake." +</p> + +<p> +"Of course I'm in earnest; I'm not quite such a +hypocrite as you take me for." +</p> + +<p> +"Indeed, Fred, I don't take you for a hypocrite +or anything the least like it; only, I'm so awfully +glad you're going to do it: for mother will be sure +to know what's right; and I'm such a gaby, I daresay +it is I who have been making a great fuss about +nothing all the time." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, at any rate, let's all try to be jolly for +the rest of the time we are here; Aunt Marian will +think we are a set of prigs with the way we have +been going on, looking glum, and morose, and +stupid, when all the others were bursting their sides +with laughter. You'll cheer up now, Harry, won't you?" +</p> + +<p> +"Cheer up? why, I feel as if I could make one +good flying leap over sun, moon, and stars, and the +equator into the bargain;" and Harry, to prove the +truth of his words, made one good flying leap over +the end of the iron seat, alighting somewhat +ignominiously on the other side, with face, hands, +and knees in close contact with the sharp gravel on +the pathway. +</p> + +<p> +"I say, Hal, old boy, that's what one might +call a cropper of the first water," cried a cheery +voice in our fallen hero's ears, as he raised himself +up and shook himself free from the gravel and dust +which adhered to both hands, and to the knees of +his trousers; "if you make such a bad shot at the +equator, you'll be likely to come to grief, and get +impaled on the North Pole, or something of the +kind. But I've been looking for you everywhere, +for don't you remember you and I were to have a +game at chess to-day, and as we can't have it in the +afternoon on account of the jam having to be put +away, I thought we might as well have a shy at it +now." +</p> + +<p> +"All square," replied Harry cheerfully. "I'm +game for any fun going, from pitch and toss to +manslaughter, only I warn you, you'll get the worst +of it; for I feel as if I could fight Goliath this +morning, I'm so sprag and hearty in myself." +</p> + +<p> +"If you make as good a shot at the game as you +did at the iron chair a moment ago, I'm afraid I +shall get the worst of it," replied Maurice laughing, +"especially as I'm by no means in a serene temper. +I've been worriting at the old mother for the last +hour to give me out the Japanese chess-men which +she has locked up in her store-room; but she won't +do it, for she says the old wooden ones are quite +good enough for us younkers; and though I coaxed, +and bullied, and teased, it was all no good, so we +must put up with what we have got, and be satisfied." +</p> + +<p> +"They must be awfully precious men," said Harry +open-eyed, for he had never heard his aunt refuse +Maurice anything before. +</p> + +<p> +"Precious is no word for it. They are all of the +most exquisite carved ivory. Every piece is a +curiosity in itself: the castles are all on elephants' +backs, and the king and queen are the grandest old +coves going; and as to the knights, they are simply +A1, all of them mounted on horseback, and with +banners in their hands. Oh, I do wish I could +even have shown them to you, but mother didn't +seem to like my asking her." +</p> + +<p> +"I wonder why; I confess I for one would have +given a good deal to have a peep at them," said +Fred, who, having a lathe of his own at home, and +being a decided genius in the art of carving, took +delight in looking at anything new and curious in +his favourite art. +</p> + +<p> +Maurice scarcely looked at Fred or noticed his +remark, but addressing himself to Harry, cried, "I +am sorry, now that I think of it, that I nagged at +mother so much about them; for it's dawning on +me that these very chess-men were a present from +my poor father, which arrived at home just after +mother heard of his death, and I am sure that is +why she does not like to have them knocked about." +</p> + +<p> +"But we need not knock them about, need we?" +asked Fred, again seeking to obtain a hearing. +</p> + +<p> +"If you mean that you wish me to ask mother +for them again, I'm going to do no such thing," +Maurice answered, with scarcely the amount of +politeness in his tone due to one's guest, and +especially as Fred fancied he heard him add in a +lower tone, "least of all for you." +</p> + +<p> +"I am sure I don't care whether you do or not," +replied Fred in sudden heat at the tone and words +of his cousin. "I dare say I have seen finer +chess-men than any you could show me, so you need not +trouble yourself to be any ruder than you are by +nature." +</p> + +<p> +Maurice merely turned round and stared Fred +full in the face with an expression of contempt and +unbelief which did not tend to allay the rising fire +in his cousin's breast, and, without addressing +another word to him, he moved nearer to Harry, +who had been standing by, an unhappy spectator of +the scene. +</p> + +<p> +"Come along and let's begin our game," he said, +"or we shall only have got well into the heat of +it all when it will be time to stop. Come along, +I say;" and Maurice, taking Harry under his arm +without casting another glance in Fred's direction, +walked off with him towards the Hall, and through +the oak doorway into the house. +</p> + +<p> +Fred remained seated outside for a considerable +time longer, and the reverie which he fell into in +his solitude was of no very amiable kind. +</p> + +<p> +"What on earth does the fellow mean by treating +me in that way?" he growled angrily as the two +figures disappeared in the doorway; "he has as +much manners as a bear. I'll soon let Aunt Marian +hear, if he goes on with any more of his cocksputtiness. +It was not to have us spoken to and stared +at as if we were a set of Yahoos, that she invited +us here. No, no; my fine Master Maurice, I'll not +stand such humbug from any one, least of all from +you; so you'd better not try it on with me again, +that's all." And while Fred vented his anger in +such-like idle threats, he raked the path to and fro +with his walking-cane, until he had scarred the +evenly strewed gravel with unseemly lines and bars. +</p> + +<p> +Nor when luncheon time arrived, and all the +party assembled once more in the dining-room, did +matters seem more agreeable or promising for +Fred. Aunt Marian, who, as usual, presided at the +head of the table, seemed preoccupied and out of +spirits. Now and then, when Fred looked furtively +up, he fancied her eyes were fixed uneasily on him; +but the instant their looks met she started, blushed, +and turned her head another way. Could it be that +the affair about the chess-box was weighing on her +mind, or what? But why then need she look so +anxiously at him? And Fred tried, as he could not +reason the matter out, to push it from his mind +altogether, and determined not to look again in her +direction. +</p> + +<p> +After luncheon Aunt Marian made a decided +effort to brighten up, and, calling all her guests +together, she invited them to follow her to the +store-room, that she might give them directions +where the various jams were to be stored away; +and also, she wished to show them some curiosities +which she had packed away down there for greater +safety, until a wonderful Chinese cabinet which she +was expecting from London should arrive to hold +them. +</p> + +<p> +All those who did not know the downstairs +region of the left wing of the Hall, were enchanted +and surprised with the immense rows of dungeon-like +rooms which branched off in all directions from +the landing under Lady Brinsley's boudoir; and +much interest was excited when she came to a full +stop opposite a door at the foot of, or rather +underneath the flight of stairs which led from the +underground region to the upper world. +</p> + +<p> +"I have had my store-room built here purposely," +she said putting a large key into the key-hole; +"because the flue of the kitchen chimney runs +parallel to the shelves along the wall, and thus +everything on them is kept dry and free from must. +You must not all crowd into the store-room at +once, but come in six or seven at a time, and I will +show you whatever there is worth seeing; and I +must only trust to the honour of the company at +large, that, when I am no longer here to superintend +the proceedings, anything any of you wish to +see you will look at with your eyes, and not with +your fingers; for some of my curiosities are of a very +fragile kind, and a rough touch or an awkward +hand might entirely destroy them. You will be +careful all of you, won't you?" she said looking +around; "and you, Maurice, and you, Harry Malcomson, +I leave you both as my aides-de-camp to see +that nothing on my curiosity-shelf is touched or +meddled with." +</p> + +<p> +There was a general clamour of assent to Lady +Brinsley's wishes, and loud assurances were given +by those gathered round her that nothing should be +stirred or injured in any way; and then the key +was turned in the door, and as many as the room +could hold were admitted. +</p> + +<p> +Once inside, what a delicious odour there was of +good things,—oranges, figs, raisins, biscuits, +gingerbread, plum-cake; and how the dishes and open +boxes of preserved fruits glanced from out the +darker corners of the shelves! +</p> + +<p> +The stairs overhead were so broad that the store-room +was an unusually wide one, and by degrees, +most of the party squeezed in so as to be able to +catch a view of the case which Lady Brinsley had +just lifted from the shelf overhead, and which +Maurice, in a voice of superior knowledge, declared +to be the gem of the peep-show. +</p> + +<p> +And a most curious and wonderful affair it was +when it was placed on the shelf in the window, and +the light from the passage outside fell full upon it. +</p> + +<p> +"This," said Aunt Marian, as she took a gold +key from her watch-chain and placed it in the lock +of the outside case, "this is a Japanese miniature +barrel organ, and when I lift off this cover you will +see what a strange piece of mechanism it is. Here, +Maurice, give me a helping hand," and, assisted by +her son, Lady Brinsley removed the outside sandalwood +box, and revealed a most perfect and beautiful +representation of a mimic stage, on the boards of +which several figures in Japanese costume were +standing, while a wonderfully painted and enamelled +woodland scene at the back made everything appear +strangely real and life-like. +</p> + +<p> +Lady Brinsley, having given all the children time +to see the stage and its occupants, pushed back a +round silver peg at the side of the box, and at once, +to the sound of a curious tinkling and somewhat +unmusical music, the figures began moving about +the stage, extending their arms in entreaty, +throwing back their heads in haughty attitudes of refusal +or pride, and, in fact, imitating in excellent style +the effects of an operatic scene. +</p> + +<p> +Fred pressed forward and gazed with a rapt +eagerness at the toy. It was a thing after his own +heart, and all troubles and doubts were for the +moment forgotten, as he sought to puzzle out the +mechanism of the wonderful Japanese automaton. +</p> + +<p> +When every one had been given a full view of +the theatre, it was packed up in its box and replaced +with some difficulty by Maurice on an upper shelf. +Fred followed it with longing eyes as it was +returned to the safe keeping of the store-room and its +surroundings; and as he did so his glance chanced +to fall on another and smaller case close beside it, +on which he could see painted in black letters the +word "fragile." +</p> + +<p> +"What is in that other box?" he asked curiously; +"may we have a look at it also?" +</p> + +<p> +"No, dear; I never open that box," replied Lady +Brinsley, in a nervous and somewhat hesitating +voice; "its contents are very brittle, and, besides, I +have other reasons." +</p> + +<p> +"But what are the contents?" cried Fred, so +anxious to satisfy his curiosity, that his aunt's +hesitation and distress did not affect him as it would +otherwise probably have done. +</p> + +<p> +"Chess-men," she answered shortly, "ivory chess-men. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh!" sighed Fred, "these are the men I +suppose Maurice wanted so much to show Harry. +Might we not even take one look into the box? we +were all so much disappointed." +</p> + +<p> +"Speak for yourself, please," cried Maurice +angrily; "neither Harry nor I care a straw whether +we see them or not." +</p> + +<p> +"You said you did care very much this morning," +retorted Fred, in newly kindled wrath at Maurice's +words and manner. "You were quite vexed that +you had not been allowed to have them, and you +grumbled precious loud about it." +</p> + +<p> +"Shut up, will you. If you had the tact or the +good taste of a hen-sparrow, you would know when +to leave off a disagreeable subject." +</p> + +<p> +"Maurice, Maurice," said Lady Brinsley +reprovingly.—"Suppose now, you all set about the jam and +its arrangement," she added cheerfully. "You will +find a little wooden ladder in the passage by the +pantry which will enable you to pack away a good +deal on the high shelves." +</p> + +<p> +Thus the subject of the chess-men dropped for +the present; but Fred and Maurice regarded each +other with no friendly eyes, and Harry was consequently +uneasy and distressed. He felt inclined to +take his brother's side in this argument, for he +thought Maurice had spoken very roughly to Fred +before such a large company, and yet he could not +but fear it was his own insinuations on the occasion +of the jam covering that had set Maurice so much +against Fred. However, in the general laughter, +and fun, and jollity which went on, the carrying +down the trays of jam, and arranging them in order +on the shelves, Harry soon forgot his trouble, and +amused himself in playing off a series of his own +peculiar style of practical jokes, which were of a +very harmless nature, and seldom were pushed +sufficiently far to give occasion for offence or anger. +</p> + +<p> +Fred was so absorbed in gazing at the varied +contents of the store-room, that he gave but small +assistance in the labours of the afternoon; the +dark nooks of this mysterious apartment, running, +as they did, far up beneath the stairs, had a charm +for his inquisitive nature which the more playful +of his companions could scarcely have understood. +And besides all this, Fred had a longing, amounting +almost to misery, to raise the lid of the white box +labelled "fragile," and take one glimpse at the rare +carving of the Chinese chess-men; and, like a true +descendant of our first parents, the more he was +hindered from prying, the more intense grew the +desire for the forbidden pleasure. +</p> + +<p> +But Maurice seemed to have an inkling of this +weakness of Fred, and kept constantly within the +sombre precincts of the store-room. He sent the +others for the jam and remained himself perched on +the ladder, the top of which was propped against +the very shelf on which stood the box containing +the chess-men; and while Maurice kept firm to his +post, Fred had but small chance of the much +longed-for peep. +</p> + +<p> +"Why aren't you trying for the prize this +afternoon, eh? you are so lucky at winning prizes," +asked Maurice of his cousin, in a tone which +savoured only too little of politeness; "or perhaps +you intend to try your old dodge of making a rush +for it in the end, and winning in a hand gallop." +</p> + +<p> +"It's a pity," replied Fred, from some dark +corner of the store-room, "that twopence was not +charged at your school for good manners; but, I +suppose, because you're king of your own castle, +you may cheek a fellow as much as you like." +</p> + +<p> +"Humph! 'king of my own castle.' Your head +seems to be running very much this morning on the +chess-line; you'd give a good deal, I dare say, to get +one squint inside of this box;" and Maurice laid his +great schoolboy hand on the lid of the white case +and smiled, it must be confessed in no very pleasant +way, at his cousin. +</p> + +<p> +Maurice had such a loathing for a mean or +ungenerous action, he could not conceal his contempt +for the boy whose conduct circumstances had led +him to distrust; and being the eldest son, and +having been, in consequence of his father's death, +placed in an unusually prominent position, he had +not, perhaps, learned to exercise as much self-control +on certain occasions as would have been more fitting +and becoming at his age; and he saw the red fire +leap into his cousin's eye in the gloom of the dark +corner where he stood, though it did not make him +desist from his uncourteous conduct. +</p> + +<p> +Fred was an eldest son also, and a somewhat +spoiled and petted boy, and he was as little prepared +to bear with Maurice's contemptuous treatment as +Maurice was to bear with him; so words waxed +high between them, and the other guests, abashed +and frightened, stood aloof from the scene of action +and listened with awe not unmixed with dismay +to the passionate tones rising higher and higher +within the citadel whose closely barred window +showed only the shadowy outlines of the combatants +within. +</p> + +<p> +Harry alone ventured to draw near enough to the +scene of action to catch some of the voluble words +of anger and reproach which passed from the lips of +both the boys, and his heart burned with a sudden +flame of passion when he heard the words "sneak, +cheat, robber," hurled at his brother's head by +Maurice, who, still standing on the ladder, kept +guard over the box marked "fragile." +</p> + +<p> +"Fred, come out; don't listen to him," cried +Harry, driven by the force of his feelings to mingle +in the fray; "a fellow who calls another a cheat +and a sneak, is no gentleman, I don't care who +he is." +</p> + +<p> +"I repeat it," cried Maurice. "I say he is a +vile, dastardly sneak, and a liar into the bargain; +and no one knows it better than yourself." +</p> + +<p> +At these words there was a crash. Impelled at +the same moment by an uncontrollable burst of anger, +both brothers had rushed upon the occupant of the +ladder, and, pushing it violently aside, had sent +Maurice head foremost into a trayful of jam pots, +and finally sprawling on the floor. +</p> + +<p> +But a couple of sacks broke Maurice's fall, and he +only rose with redoubled fury to continue the fray. +Harry he merely thrust out into the passage with +one lurch of his great strong arm; but Fred he +sent whirling back into the darkness with a blow +planted right in the middle of his chest, and an +accompanying kick which raised him for a moment +from the ground only to fall the more heavily on +his back, which struck against something sharp +protruding from the wall, and he finally rested upon +a shelf raised about a foot or so from the ground, +and which extended far back to the very end of the +store-room floor, and which was, in fact, only a kind +of low platform at the further end of the room. +</p> + +<p> +At this moment there was a cry raised somewhere +that Lady Brinsley was coming; and Maurice, +ashamed and confused, picked up the ladder, and +having placed it against the shelf, began arranging +the jam pots, in a somewhat irregular manner, it must +be confessed, but still it helped to carry off what +would have been otherwise a very unpleasant position. +</p> + +<p> +Fred, meantime, who was smarting all over from +the fall, and whose shoulder-blade was cruelly +bruised by the blow he had received in his descent, +sat down moodily on the shelf or step on which he +had fallen, and sulkily awaited the issue of his +aunt's arrival. +</p> + +<p> +But Lady Brinsley had no wish just now to enter +into this embroilment between her son and her +nephew, for, to tell the truth, she would have been +sorely puzzled what to say; so she merely looked in +at the store-room door for a moment and murmured +anxiously, "Maurice, dear, do not let there be such +a noise downstairs any more. You know I don't +dislike a pleasant row, but the sounds which I +heard just now were anything but that. Do try +to remember that it is our business to make our +guests happy, no matter how they have behaved, +and even though Fred has—" +</p> + +<p> +"Fred is here to answer for himself," cried +Maurice hastily; for he guessed the gloom of the +room had concealed his cousin's presence, and he +had no wish to mix up his mother unpleasantly in +the business. +</p> + +<p> +"What is all this about, Fred?" asked Lady +Brinsley, peering anxiously through the darkness +for the figure crouched on the step. +</p> + +<p> +"I am sure I don't know," replied Fred in a +sullen tone. +</p> + +<p> +"It's all about this confounded—;" Maurice +stopped a moment and then continued nervously, +"it's all about this unfortunate chess-box, which Fred +is determined to have a look at, and which he says +as sure as he's alive he'll see some way or other,—and +I'm just as determined that he shan't. I wish you +would take it upstairs, mother, and lock it up +somewhere; for he's such a fellow he would manage to +sneak in through a mouse-hole to gain his purpose." +</p> + +<p> +"Maurice, Maurice, indeed I cannot allow you +to speak so," said his mother gravely. "You know +well I would far rather, whatever pain it might have +cost me, have taken down the box and shown it to +Fred, than have had this most unpleasant discussion." +</p> + +<p> +"I don't want to see it," said Fred proudly; +"only I won't be bullied by him." +</p> + +<p> +"You swore a moment ago you'd see it if you +tore the whole window out of its socket," cried +Maurice, growing hot and indignant at Fred's denial. +</p> + +<p> +"And so I would, if you tried to stop me from +seeing it." +</p> + +<p> +"Then all I can say is, I'll stop you as long as I +have hands on my arms or feet on my legs, and not +the most distant vision of one of the men shall you +ever see,—at least while you are in this house; +unless, indeed, mother chooses to show them to you, +and that's no business of mine." +</p> + +<p> +"Maurice, let there be an end of this at once," +cried Lady Brinsley, in a tone which her son never +dared to oppose. "Whatever else you may be +doing, you are not behaving like a gentleman, nor +will you by your example be likely to influence +your cousin for good. If this most unseemly noise +continues, I will just lock the store-room door and +break up the whole afternoon, which, I think, would +be scarcely fair to our other guests." +</p> + +<p> +"All serene," cried Maurice hoarsely; he was +not accustomed to being reproved so sharply by his +mother, and before Fred, too. "I'll not say another +word," he added in a lower voice; "but I'll balk +his sneaking tricks for all that." +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap10"></a></p> + +<h2> +CHAPTER X. +<br><br> +A DISCOVERY. +</h2> + +<p> +Maurice was as good as his word. He +never uttered another syllable to Fred, +nor did he relax his guard over the shelf +where stood the coveted box, but still +kept his position on the ladder, arranging +in order the various trays of jams, carried +down by the others; and after a time, as Fred also +remained perfectly silent and inactive in the corner, +the "row" was partially forgotten, and jokes and +laughter began again to be heard in the halls and +passages. +</p> + +<p> +Meantime Fred, who had sat in a kind of gloomy +abstraction for nearly half an hour, only showing +that he was not asleep by the occasional red gleam +from his eyes which shone strangely out of the +sombre obscurity of his retreat, suddenly awoke to +a strange and thrilling discovery which made his +heart beat quick and loud against his side, and +which almost tempted him to doubt the evidence of +his senses. +</p> + +<p> +And this discovery was brought about in the +following manner:—His shoulder, which had been so +sorely bruised in the fall, ached terribly for a long +time after the other effects of his misfortunes had +passed away, till at length, in a vexed and sullen +spirit, he searched about and around the place to +see against what sharp thing he could have struck +when falling, or what accident could have caused +the wound which kept on aching so wearily. +</p> + +<p> +For a long time he could see nothing; for the +corner where he sat was so dark that objects only +revealed themselves slowly to his sight, and it was +not for many minutes after he had sat down that +he even found out that the platform on which he +was seated was used evidently for drying candles +and soap, as many squares of the latter were spread +out on it, and bundles of candles in orderly rows +side by side were also arranged with the same +neatness and method; and the roof of the store-room +being formed by the stairs overhead it was of +necessity a sloping one, and over the shelf on which +Fred sat it came slanting down so low as almost to +touch his head, so that to rise upright would have +been impossible. At some distance behind him the +room ended in a dark angle where nothing taller +than a cat or a rat could creep along, and as well as +Fred's eye could discern, this low nook was used +only as a receptacle for old sacks, files of bills, mouse +traps and so forth. But so great was Fred's natural +curiosity that he longed to pry into its depths, and +had he been alone he would certainly have crept on +hands and knees along the platform and examined +minutely all there was to be seen there; but as it was, +he had a character for proud indifference to keep up +just now, so he found sufficient interest in searching +for the origin of his present suffering, wondering +vaguely how it could have been caused. +</p> + +<p> +At length his shoulder became so painful and his +back ached so badly, he shoved himself along the +wooden platform on which he was seated to the +nearest wall of the store-room, so that he might lean +his side against it for support, and it was then +he awoke suddenly to the discovery which caused +him so much surprise and excitement; for as he +pressed his head forward toward the wall he again +came in contact with something hard and cold +protruding from the wooden partition which formed +one side of the store-room, and the blow which it +gave him, coming, as it did, on the side of his head, +caused him almost to cry aloud from pain. +</p> + +<p> +Fred rubbed his wounded ear for a moment or so +with his finger and muttered angrily to himself; +then, feeling all up the wall with the palm of his +hand, he sought to discover the knob or nail which +had, as it seemed to him, purposely wounded him. +</p> + +<p> +And he was not long in coming on it. It was an +iron knob protruding from the wall, very hard and +cold and round, and evidently fastened to the wooden +panelling by screws or clamps of some kind or other. +Fred turned and fixed his eyes narrowly on the spot; +his curiosity was fully aroused, and he determined to +get at the root of the matter. As he gazed, it seemed +to him as if a silver rod ran down the whole length +of the wall beside him, shining quite brightly, and +almost glowing in the surrounding darkness. +</p> + +<p> +Fred now ran his fingers down this rod, but found +to his surprise that it was nothing tangible; only a +long seam of light, which, entering by a crack or +fissure in the panels of the wall, gave the appearance +of a metal bar; for when some one passed by outside +in the passage, the silver bar disappeared, but again +returned when the obstruction had moved on. +</p> + +<p> +Once more he ran his fingers up the crack, to +ascertain its width, and this time his knuckles came +in contact with another knob similar in shape and +size to the one he had discovered below, only so high +was it placed as to be but an inch or so below the +slanting roof of the store-room. +</p> + +<p> +Fred paused for a moment, and with his eyes still +eagerly peering into the darkness, drew a long breath. +It was just then his heart gave the first great throb, +and that the blood tingled so curiously down to his +finger-tips. +</p> + +<p> +"Could it be?" he murmured, almost aloud; and +then he took a furtive glance towards the stalwart +figure of Maurice, who stood with his back turned, and +perched on the top of the ladder. He ran his fingers +no longer up the wall, but across it; and then he +paused again, while the throbbing at his heart became +more violent and uncomfortable. "Yes, it was what +he suspected it to be." Quite far back he could feel +hinges, one above and one below, corresponding +exactly to the knobs on the opposite side of the +panel. And these knobs, what were they? what +could they be? Why, bolts of course; which, closing +tightly on the silvery bar of light, kept this +hidden egress from the room safe from the visits of +intruders. +</p> + +<p> +This was a discovery; as great and significant at +the moment to Fred as if he had stumbled on a +treasure of pure gold hidden away in some nook or +cranny of the wall. +</p> + +<p> +Then came the next question,—could the bolts +move, or had long disuse rendered them stiff, and +cramped, and useless? That they had not been opened +for a long time, the cobwebs which stuck closely over +them could testify; sticky gray cobwebs which clung +to Fred's fingers and the knees of his trousers, and +made him feel as if spiders were running down the +back of his neck. +</p> + +<p> +He must try whether the bolts would stir at his +bidding or not; but oh! how cautiously must this +essay be made, lest Maurice, ever on the alert, should +look round and catch him in the act. Fred leaned +his head once more in an attitude of weariness against +the wall, and with one hand and arm thrust behind +him, took the knob in his fingers and pressed, first +gently, then a little harder; but no, it would not +move, he must push more strongly still. But supposing +it were to fly suddenly back, the door might leap +open—oh! what a triumph for Maurice, what +bitterness of defeat for him. +</p> + +<p> +So Fred continued to push, ever so gently and +gingerly, yet at the same time firmly, till at last +there was a sharp creak and a grating squeak which +could be heard all over the store-room. +</p> + +<p> +Maurice turned hastily round and peered into the +darkness; but there was Fred still sitting disconsolately +on the step with his head against the wall. +Maurice knew nothing of this secret door, so he only +remarked, as if in answer to his own thoughts, "Rats," +and turned away again carelessly to resume his work. +</p> + +<p class="capcenter"> +<a id="img-110"></a> +<br> +<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-110.jpg" alt=""Another pot of strawberry, if you please.""> +<br> +"Another pot of strawberry, if you please." +</p> + +<p> +Meanwhile, Fred's eye had become riveted on a +dish, on which lay heaped one on the top of the +other sundry pounds of butter, evidently fresh from +the churn. It had been placed on the same shelf +where he sat, only at a safe distance from the aroma +of the soap and candles; but a quick movement, now +that Maurice's back was turned, would easily reach +it; and Fred, stretching out his hand, like a flash of +lightning removed a small piece from off the nearest +roll, and conveying it to his other fingers, cautiously +rubbed the rusty lock with the oily but most opportune "find." +</p> + +<p> +This operation was decidedly successful; the next +time he tried the bolt it moved, and no creak followed +to betray him. The upper lock was greased in the +same way, and it also moved, though a slight groan +issued from its iron-moulded joints, which caused +Maurice once again to turn his head, and murmur +"Rats," while he wondered vaguely how such a +cowardly fellow as Fred could be content to sit +quietly over there in the dark, in such close +proximity to rats and other vermin. Perhaps it was +the weary dejected position in which Fred sat, with +his head resting against the wall, that caused a +momentary gleam of contrition and remorse in +Maurice's bosom; for presently, in a voice which +betrayed an evident struggle between pride and +pity, he said, turning towards his cousin,— +</p> + +<p> +"I advise you strongly not to take up your +position in that corner, Fred; for the place is alive +with cockroaches, and they will be crawling up your +leg if you don't take care." +</p> + +<p> +"I have not seen one," replied Fred shortly and +sullenly. +</p> + +<p> +"They are there for all that: it was only a few +nights ago, when I came down here to fetch up some +night-lights for mother, that I came on one as large +as a cow, with horns that could have tossed me into +the middle of next week. I never saw such a brute; +he was more like an old stag cantering along the +wall than a human being." +</p> + +<p> +"I never knew cockroaches were human beings +before," laughed one of Maurice's sisters, who was +standing patiently at the foot of the table with a +heavy load of jam in her extended arms, waiting for +her brother to arrange them on the shelf above. +</p> + +<p> +"My dear child, who ever supposed you did? +But for all that I'm not so far out, for all men are +animals, ain't they? and if a cockroach is not an +ugly beast of an animal, what else is it? therefore <i>a +fortiori</i> it follows, that if both are animals, there is +no difference between them." +</p> + +<p> +"All men are animals, but all animals are not +men," replied Alice Brinsley, quoting somewhat +sententiously from one of her well-read lesson books. +</p> + +<p> +"And all girls are donkeys, though all donkeys +aren't girls. I declare, Alice, I think you are the +most assified old cockroach in the whole place; for a +fellow can't make the most simple and natural +observation in the world, but you thrust out your horns +and pin him to the wall, while every scrap of +knowledge that you have in your shallow pate could be +found bound up between the two covers of Mangnall's +Questions, beginning at the date when William the +Conqueror threw the famous bucket of cold water +over his brother Robert le Diable, down to the chap +who found out how to square the circle, and make +lemon pudding out of pigs' whiskers. There take +that;" and Maurice concluded his exordium by seizing +a large ball of cord from the shelf beside him, and +flinging it right at his sister's uplifted nose, from +which it sprang aside and rolled into the dark +corner where Fred still sat with his head against +the wall, apparently gloomy and abstracted. +</p> + +<p> +But oh! how his face and attitude belied his real +feelings, especially now he beheld the ball of cord, +which for the last ten minutes he had been gazing +at with covetous eyes, actually rolling forward to his +very feet. Surely Maurice must have read his +thoughts, and fathomed the scheme by which his +cousin hoped to retrieve his vantage ground, and +make good his angry boast. He must have caught +a glimpse of the hungry eyes fixed on the coil of +cord above his head, and putting two and two +together, must have resolved to aid and abet his enemy, +by conniving at his plans, and only planning the +more completely and fatally to overthrow and destroy +him. +</p> + +<p> +These doubts made Fred hesitate for some minutes +whether to avail himself of the unlooked-for +assistance, during which time he watched his cousin +closely, and narrowly scanned the fluctuating +expression of his face; an expression all the more +difficult to decipher, as Maurice, having lighted on a +jar of French plums, had crammed about a dozen of +them into his mouth at one time, and was now +making the most frightful grimaces, struggling to eat +them without choking or swallowing any of the +stones. +</p> + +<p> +But Maurice was perfectly innocent of any plan +or plot being laid to undermine his pride; and as +soon as he could find room to move his tongue, he +again resumed his attack upon his sister, whose arms +ached from the weight of the jam pots she still held +in her hands, and from which he seemed in no hurry +to relieve her. +</p> + +<p> +"Here, Alice, are some rare seeds for you; or as +Mangnall would call them, umbelliferous stones," +cried Maurice, removing some of the kernels from +his mouth, and placing them on the tray before her; +"if you plant them in some good farinaceous kind of +earth, and water them four times an hour, for fifteen +minutes at a go, you'll have in the course of time a +magnificent French-plum forest, similar in size and +appearance to the famous forest of Ardennes, where +Henry the Eighth killed the horrible wild boar, and +was afterwards horribly bored to death himself by, +I forget how many wives, with patent reversible +heads, which could be taken off and on without any +trouble; and which, according to Mangnall, was the +origin of the penny stamp movement, which was +called ever after Anne Boleyn's tragic end, a Queen's +head.—Another pot of strawberry, if you please, and +then the upper row will be quite full; and give us +another handful of French plummers at the same +time, that's a good girl, and then I shall be quite +full also." +</p> + +<p> +"My dear Maurice, you will really make yourself +ill; and besides, you will certainly swallow some of +the stones." +</p> + +<p> +"And if I do, what harm? for if you have studied +page 40 of Mangnall's 'Internal Economy,' you will +find that a stone or apple allowed to fall inside a +given circle, proves the gravitation of the Earth. +But, good gracious, did you hear those rats again? +I say, Fred, have you cheese-parings or what in your +pockets, that you seem to be tempting them out of +their holes at this time of day?" +</p> + +<p> +To this Fred did not deign a reply, or, if he spoke, +the answer was uttered in such a low voice that no +one heard him; and Maurice, with a nod of his head, +indicative of careless contempt, turned away for good +from his cousin, and made no further effort to draw +him into conversation. +</p> + +<p> +Fred, meantime, had not been idle; he had, with +his penknife, cut off two pieces of cord from the ball +which lay, apparently still untouched, at his feet. +At the end of each piece of cord he had made a +running knot, and this knot he had skilfully placed +like a noose over the neck of each bolt, and then +drawn the knot tightly with his hands; but the +greatest difficulty remained still unsurmounted. The +bolts could, of course, be easily withdrawn by any +one within the store-room, even without the aid of +the cord; but the point which Fred was now eagerly +debating in his mind was, how to get the ends of +the cord on the other side of the panel, and thus +give the power to an outsider to enter at any time +he pleased. +</p> + +<p> +The bolts, he had definitely discovered, were +screwed to the door, and shot into iron clamps on +the wall; so, in order to draw them back from the +outside, the ends of the string would have to be +passed through some aperture behind the head of the +bolt; and how to make this opening without exciting +suspicion, was the present stumbling-block in Fred's +path. But as he moved himself a little further back +on the shelf to get a clearer view of the door, he +observed that just beneath the hinges there was also +a faint glimmer of daylight, and this discovery +solved the problem so satisfactorily, that in a few +moments, with the aid of his penknife, he had thrust +the end of the cord nearest to him out through the +chink into the passage beyond, and he had only to +wait patiently for a favourable opportunity to secure +the other in the like manner. +</p> + +<p> +Nor had he to wait long, as Maurice had begun +to grow tired of his elevated position, and presently, +coming down off the ladder, he began arranging the +jam on some of the lower shelves, and in this work +became so occupied and interested, that he temporarily +forgot Fred and his corner, and only paused in +his work to make some absurd remarks to his friends. +</p> + +<p> +Fred seized a favourable opportunity when +Maurice's back was turned, and no one else was in +the store-room, to rise slightly from the shelf, and +thrust the second piece of cord through the upper +hinge; which effort was so successful, that he felt +quite elated, and sat down quietly for a few moments +to think out the probable result of his plot. +</p> + +<p> +That he could enter the store-room secretly at +some future time, and there and then make good +his boast to Maurice, there seemed now no doubt, +and Fred glanced up triumphantly at the two pieces +of cord securely fastened to the knobs or handles of +the bolt and stretching out to the hinges; but how, +when he had got in, he was to get out again, without +the open door betraying his ingress and egress, was +the subject now uppermost in his mind. Was there +no plan by which he could shut the door as well as +open it? He almost thought there must be; and in +order to consider this point thoroughly, he leaned +his elbows on his knees, and his head on his hands, +and to a speculative eye looked, if possible, even +more disconsolate and inscrutable than ever. +</p> + +<p> +Maurice gave one or two side glances towards his +cousin, but thought it wiser not to break the +unpleasant silence, but to allow Fred's sulky mood to +pass over without remark, as all interference seemed +only to increase his gloom and reticence; but he +determined, at the same time, that when once it had +passed over, it would not be his fault if he quarrelled +with Fred again, or allowed any guest in his house +to feel as uncomfortable and depressed as he had +caused Fred to be all the afternoon. And as Maurice +made these good resolutions, he whistled softly to +himself; and a better and much pleasanter light came +into his eyes, as he put aside a box of candied fruit +with a beautiful picture on the top of it, as a +peace-offering for his cousin, whenever the favourable +moment for presenting it should arrive. Little he +knew what burning thoughts were passing through +Fred's mind, or what a fire of revengeful feelings +was smouldering under the quiet attitude and +dispirited appearance of his cousin. +</p> + +<p> +Fred meanwhile had not only thought out his new +plan, but had actually begun to carry it into +execution. Once more, unseen, he had picked up the +ball of cord, and cut two pieces from it; and now he +was busy, while Maurice's back was turned, making +slip knots on these also. And when Maurice leaned +across the shelf to take down the prettiest box of +preserved fruits for the proposed gift, Fred quickly +drew these second loops over the two bolts, and with +the ends hanging down beside him, only waited for +a further opportunity of pushing them through the +hinge of the large door which stood conveniently +near its neighbour, and on the very side which would +enable him to draw the bolts of the latter securely +back into their places. +</p> + +<p> +The gong sounding for dressing soon afforded him +the desired moment for action, and when the store-room +was nearly full of the guests assembling around +Maurice, preparatory to their departure upstairs, Fred +stood up, and drawing into the shadow of the large +door, which opened inwardly, he thrust the cords +carefully through the slit beneath the hinges, and +then passing out almost unobserved into the passage, +he delayed just sufficiently long to see that they were +all well out, and ready for action, and also to assure +himself that they would be quite invisible to the eye +of a passer-by, as the light painting of the wood +corresponded so nearly in shade to the colour of the +cord, that unless a person had intentionally sought +for the strings, they would never have their attention +drawn to the spot. +</p> + +<p> +At any rate, Fred reasoned with himself, the afternoon +was already fast closing in, and every moment +the hall and staircase would be growing darker; the +gas jet in the passage was purposely fixed so as to +throw its light in through the window of the +store-room, and thus the outside walls lay in comparative +shadow; and there was no need to think of to-morrow, +for what could be done at once without danger ought +not to be deferred until suspicion might be aroused; +and Fred, full of a deep and earnest purpose, walked +slowly up to his own room and began to dress for +dinner. +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap11"></a></p> + +<h2> +CHAPTER XI. +<br><br> +WATCHING HIS OPPORTUNITY. +</h2> + +<p> +For a long time Fred debated with himself +whether to make Harry a confederate in +his scheme or not. He knew that Harry's +affectionate spirit had been sorely ruffled +and tried that afternoon by Maurice's conduct +towards him; and he knew also he had only +to show the large purple bruise on his shoulder to +call forth a burst of bitter anger in his brother's +breast. Harry, too, had a keen enjoyment in +following up any scheme which savoured of danger +and mystery; and there would be something almost +too seductive in the thought of outwitting Maurice, +with all his pride and hauteur, for Harry to be able +to refuse his aid. +</p> + +<p> +And, after all, what harm was there in the whole +affair? He was not going to steal or even touch +anything in the store-room, except to raise the lid +of the box marked "Fragile," and take one glimpse +at the carved ivory men; just sufficient to be able +to describe them faithfully to Maurice, and leave +him in all the perplexity of a secret and +undiscoverable defeat. +</p> + +<p> +It was only a fair revenge for the uucourteous +conduct of his cousin,—the epithets hurled on him +in the presence of all the guests, and the cruel blow +which had sent him reeling back into the darkness +of the store-room. "At least I can sound Harry +on the subject, and see how he likes the look of it. +If he jumps at the fly, all serene; if not, then +mum's the word, and all the danger and glory will +be my own." So thought Fred as he slowly walked +up the stairs leading to the landing where their +room was situated, and his face was grave and +abstracted when he opened the door and walked in. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, Fred, old man," cried Harry's sympathizing +voice as he entered, "I hope you are not much +hurt. I was just saying to Kathleen, as you came +in, what a shame it was of Maurice to turn on you +the way he did, and to knock you down and call +you names before every one!" +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, you may say so; and if you only saw the +bruise on my shoulder-blade, you'd open your eyes +a bit. I am sure it's as large as a plate this +moment, and as black and blue as your shoe; and +all for what, I'd like to know. Nothing but his +confounded pride and ill-temper." +</p> + +<p> +"I can't think why he should have grown so +suddenly cold to you," said Harry uneasily. +"Sometimes I think perhaps it is all my fault." +</p> + +<p> +"Your fault! Rubbish! how could it be?" +</p> + +<p> +"Well, because I know I said something to him +yesterday about the stones you had put in your +can, and he flared up at once, and said if you had +done it, it was a howling shame, and all that kind +of thing. But, somehow or other, I think," pleaded +Harry humbly, "something more must have happened +to vex him, or he could not be so frightfully waxy." +</p> + +<p> +"I'll wax him before I've done with him," said +Fred angrily. "Whether I put the stones in the +can or not, what business is it to him? He has no +right to set himself up for a judge and put me in +Coventry before all the others. However, he'll be +sorry for it before all's over. I'll promise you that +much for your consolation." +</p> + +<p> +The consolation appeared scarcely to affect Harry +as much as might have been anticipated; he glanced +nervously towards his brother, and ended a rumination +of full five minutes' length with a prolonged sigh. +</p> + +<p> +"Heigh ho, I wish we had never left home. I +know I, for one, shall never be in a hurry to leave +it again." +</p> + +<p> +"Nor I either," cried Fred, with a certain hoarse +sound in his voice which betrayed no small amount +of emotion. "However, in for a penny, in for a +pound, is my maxim; and I'd rather stick here all +my life than leave the place without giving Maurice +a Roland for his Oliver." +</p> + +<p> +"You'll never be able to do it. Remember he +is in his own house, and we are only visitors." +</p> + +<p> +"All the same, I will do it; and what's more, +the trap is set and the hook baited, and I'll be even +with him before this time to-morrow, you'll see." +</p> + +<p> +"Why, what are you going to do?" +</p> + +<p> +"If you had the spirit of a mouse I'd tell you; +but I know once you heard the whole scheme, +you'd never stop till you'd put your foot in it +somehow." +</p> + +<p> +"Fred!" +</p> + +<p> +"Oh yes, it's all very well. I know you'd stand +by me, and have stood by me in lots of things; but +this is a plan which will require the coolness of a +cucumber and the courage and calmness of—well, +anything you like, to carry it out; and one of your +unhandy scruples would just put me off the whole +thing, and make me far too nervous to succeed." +</p> + +<p> +"But what do you want to do?" +</p> + +<p> +"I want to outwit Maurice." +</p> + +<p> +"In what way?" +</p> + +<p> +"Well, I'll just tell you this much. Maurice has +as good as sworn that he won't let me get a glimpse +of those wonderful chess-men he's so ridiculously +proud of, and I'm determined that I will see them; +and there is the long and the short of the whole +thing." +</p> + +<p> +"But—" +</p> + +<p> +"Never mind 'buts;' there are no 'buts' in the +affair at all. I'm going to do it, and that's all." +</p> + +<p> +"But, Fred, if they are locked up in Aunt +Marian's store-room, how can you?" +</p> + +<p> +"Ay, there's the rub; but since you know so +much, I may as well just tell you I can get in +and out of that store-room as easily as I could get +in and out of Kathleen's room over there." +</p> + +<p> +At this moment Kathleen opened the very door +towards which Fred was pointing and walked in. +"Were you calling me?" she asked. +</p> + +<p> +"No, no; go back into your own room and dress +for dinner. I was only talking to Harry." +</p> + +<p> +"But I am dressed for dinner and you are not, +and the gong is just going to sound." +</p> + +<p> +"You don't say so," cried Harry.—"Look at +your watch, Fred, and see." +</p> + +<p> +Fred drew out his watch, and found it wanted +but six minutes of the dinner-hour; so further +conversation had to be indefinitely postponed, and +it was with great difficulty the boys accomplished +their feat of dressing in six minutes so as to be +down in the drawing-room with the rest of the +guests before the gong actually sounded. +</p> + +<p> +Fred usually took his place at the end of the +dining-room table close to Maurice, who sat at the +foot and carved; but to-night the brothers, by a +kind of intuition, exchanged places, and Harry took +the vacant chair beside his cousin, while Fred sat +high up, and comparatively close to his aunt. +</p> + +<p> +Lady Brinsley noticed, with considerable anxiety +of mind, the extreme pallor of Fred's face, and the +nervous distress which seemed to overpower him so +that he ate almost nothing of the various viands +which were offered him, and addressed scarcely a +word to those around him. However wrong Fred +had been, and however dishonourable his conduct +might appear, Maurice, she felt, had no right to +behave in the way he had done, and to treat his +cousin with such harshness; and Lady Brinsley, +whose heart was peculiarly susceptible towards boys +of Fred's age, felt once again a strong pity rise in +her heart for the lad whose unhappiness was too +plainly pictured on his face. But as the dinner-time +wore on Fred's demeanour changed curiously; +and by the time the meal was over, Lady Brinsley +observed with surprise a certain look almost of +triumph which glowed in Fred's eye, especially when +he turned it in Maurice's direction. Nor was the +tone of defiance lost upon her when Fred was suddenly +called upon to answer some question addressed +to him by his cousin, and to which he replied with +a confidence and a sangfroid which were in strong +contrast with his former nervousness of manner. +</p> + +<p> +The fact was that Lady Brinsley had proposed that +the remainder of the evening, which was deliciously +soft and balmy, should be devoted to a grand game +of "I Spy," among the laurels and thick-growing +shrubs of the pleasure-ground; and that the whole +party should adjourn outside the Hall after dinner, +and have their tea spread afterwards in the tent on +the archery ground, with strawberries and cream +to refresh themselves after their races and fatigue. +</p> + +<p> +This idea was hailed with unmixed delight by +all the party, and by no one with more zeal than +Fred, who saw in this suggestion a grand opportunity +for carrying out his scheme; for as all the +party would be busily employed outside, he could +easily seize on a moment to slip away downstairs +and invade undisturbed the sacred precincts of the +store-room. +</p> + +<p> +But matters did not turn out so propitiously as +Fred had imagined. Lady Brinsley, who felt uneasy +and restless in her mind both about the boy and +the results which might be anticipated from his +wounded pride, made it her special charge to look +after him, and to see that he was not left out of the +game or otherwise coldly treated by Maurice. So +Fred, though he watched eagerly for an auspicious +moment for flight, had to wait long before the +favourable opportunity presented itself. +</p> + +<p> +At last there did come a time when Fred thought +he could slip away without notice. Two of the +party had gone off to hide as hares in the cover of +the far-off evergreens; and Maurice and his mother +had gone down to the archery ground to look after +the fixing of some pole in the tent, which the butler +had brought them word was in rather a shaky +condition, and required looking after before the rush +of hungry hares into its recesses might bring the +whole affair tumbling down about their heads. +</p> + +<p> +Fred now watched his opportunity, and seeing +the coast clear, edged slowly off from the group of +hounds, which were gathered under a large beech +tree, awaiting the shrill whistle from the plantation +which would announce that the hares were in safe +hiding, and convey also some slight notion as to +their whereabouts. +</p> + +<p> +"Where are you going? You are not allowed +to leave bounds until the hares are hid," cried +several voices as Fred moved out of their ranks. +</p> + +<p> +"Humbug! what harm can I do out here? I +can't catch a glimpse of the hiding-ground from this +place, and I'm sick of sticking all in a lump under +this tree like a swarm of bees." +</p> + +<p> +"It is not fair, for all that," cried the same +voices again; "we said we would not go further +than this tree." +</p> + +<p> +"I said nothing of the kind; besides, I am tired +of the game, and I am going to take a stroll until +supper is ready." +</p> + +<p> +"Fred, you are not going really to leave the +game?" cried Harry, coming up to him anxiously +from under the shadow of the tree. "Do come +back,—there's a good fellow; it will be no fun +without you." And as Harry spoke he eagerly +sought to scan his brother's face, half suspecting he +had something more weighty on his mind than a +mere stroll about the place. +</p> + +<p> +"Bosh! you'll do twice as well without me," +cried Fred, attempting a laugh. But seeing the +look in Harry's eyes, he changed his mind, and +added in a low voice, "Cannot you take a hint and +keep them all quiet there for a few minutes, and +draw their attention off me, for I've been watching +for this opportunity the whole evening." +</p> + +<p> +"What for?" gasped Harry. +</p> + +<p> +"Why, what I told you before." +</p> + +<p> +"But you did not tell me." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, never mind; the whole thing won't take +five minutes, and I'll come back and tell you then." +</p> + +<p> +"O Fred! I know you will get yourself into +some awful scrape. Please don't go and do +anything rash." +</p> + +<p> +"I tell you I'm in for it now, and, scrape or no +scrape, I'll carry it through." +</p> + +<p> +"Would there be less danger if I were to help you?" +</p> + +<p> +"No, no; there is the whistle: if we both went +off together, we should only draw suspicion on +ourselves. Go, go, I tell you, and hunt with the +others; this is the moment of all others for me." And +Harry, sorely against his will, went off to search +among the evergreens and under the low-growing +shrubs for the missing hares, while Fred turned his +steps with apparent nonchalance towards the house. +</p> + +<p> +But the moment for success which he had so +confidently looked for had not yet come. Just as +Fred turned through a low gate in the pleasure-ground +leading by a shrubbery walk towards the +Hall, he saw Maurice coming round from an opposite +path, and also making his way in the direction of +the house. +</p> + +<p> +Both the boys caught sight of each other at the +same moment, and both paused for an instant, +hesitating what course to pursue. Fred was the first +to act. He turned deliberately on his heel, and +retraced his steps through the dark shrubbery walk; +and then Maurice's resolution seemed also taken, +for Fred heard hasty steps behind him and some one +calling him by his name. +</p> + +<p> +"Fred, Fred! turn back and listen; I want to +say something to you." +</p> + +<p> +Fred walked on, his head held proudly in the air, +and his ears apparently deaf to Maurice's words. +</p> + +<p> +"Fred, listen to me,—stop; I want awfully to +have a few words with you. Don't go on to where +the others are, or I can't say them." +</p> + +<p> +But Fred still walked on till he reached the small +iron gate, having passed which, he swung it back +resolutely in his cousin's face, almost snapping it on +his extended hand. Then Maurice halted in his +pursuit with a muttered growl of anger and +disappointment, and turning also on his heel, he walked +gloomily towards the Hall. +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap12"></a></p> + +<h2> +CHAPTER XII. +<br><br> +AT DEAD OF NIGHT. +</h2> + +<p> +Great was Harry's amazement, when rushing +in hot pursuit after the discovered +hare, to meet Fred walking leisurely back +towards the play-ground. He stopped +breathless from his chase, and looked with +the most painful suspense into his brother's eyes. +</p> + +<p> +"For goodness' sake," cried Fred angrily, "don't +stare at me in that horrid way! With your great +fishy eyes you look exactly like a boiled haddock." +</p> + +<p> +"But, Fred, have you done it?" +</p> + +<p> +"Of course I knew you were going to ask me +that ganderish question. One would think I was +a centipede, to be able to reach the house and be +back again here in less than five minutes. Don't +be a tomfool." +</p> + +<p> +Harry saw the angry light in Fred's eye, and +though he sorely longed to know the cause of his +brother's speedy return, he feared to ask any further +questions; and when Fred turned away a moment +afterwards, and made a sudden short cut down one +of the terraces towards the archery-ground, Harry +gave up all idea of following him or hearing his +news, and repaired again to the beech tree on the +pleasure-ground, under which the hounds and hares +had once more assembled preparatory to a fresh start. +</p> + +<p> +The supper in the tent was, however, announced +to be ready, and both parties gave up the chase, and +repaired harmoniously together to feed under the +same canvas roof. +</p> + +<p> +The table was quite a sight, it was so beautifully +and tastefully decorated with fruits, flowers, and +variegated leaves. Lady Brinsley and her daughter +made the art of table decoration almost a study; and +the effects they produced were generally considered +to be perfect. +</p> + +<p> +The tempting odour of the ripe fruit lavishly +heaped in dishes around the table was most agreeable +to the noses of the hounds, who crowded pell-mell +into the tent; and as each plate and chair was +labelled with the name of its owner, there was no +difficulty or confusion in finding room at the table. +Fred was surprised, on taking his seat, to find not +only his plate labelled with his own name, but also +a very pretty French bon-bon box, beneath whose +fretted paper coverings could be seen peeping out +the most delicious preserved fruits and sweetmeats. +</p> + +<p> +He looked hastily up at his aunt, and scanned +her face curiously, to see if this unexpected gift had +come from her. But no: when their eyes met, it +there was any peculiar expression visible there, it +was one of grave, almost distressed anxiety; and +Fred relapsed into a miserable state of mind, which +had of late become a constant habit with him. +</p> + +<p> +Once he glanced at Maurice, as a quick, uneasy +question, flashed through his mind; but the moment +Maurice met his gaze, his cheek flushed, and his +eyes hastily sought his plate: so Fred, whose heart +was just now wound up to the pitch when tears +were very close, sought no further to disentangle +the riddle. But his pride would not permit him to +appropriate the gift; and when supper was over, +he rose from the table with a swelling heart, and, +with his head still held proudly in the air, he left +the tent, and wandered about the grounds until the +gong sounded for evening prayers, after which all +the guests dispersed to their respective apartments. +</p> + +<p> +Harry, however, had watched Fred's exit from +the tent with anxious eyes: for he knew well, from +the compressed muscles of his mouth, the effort +made to hide the tell-tale quivering of the lips, and +the fixed, stony look in the eye which held back +the rising tears; and, had he dared, he would have +followed his brother out into the shadows of the +sycamore alley, and away down the darker paths +of the pine plantation, where once before Fred had +sobbed out the burden of his guilt; but he knew +that to follow Fred in his present mood could only +serve to aggravate his temper, so he waited patiently +for his return, hoping that in the solitude of his +ramble his vexation might have time to cool down, +and his project, whatever it might have been, might +be temporarily relinquished. +</p> + +<p> +When they all assembled in the Hall for prayers, +Fred made his appearance in the house, and took +his usual seat; but his face was perfectly impassive, +and, save for the extreme pallor of his cheeks and +the red circles round his eyes, Harry could not have +suspected that any unusual disturbance had been at +work within him. +</p> + +<p> +When they went up to bed, Harry made one or +two feeble efforts to draw the conversation into the +channels of thought which were occupying his own +attention so much. But Fred was moody and +reserved, and only answered in monosyllables, not +vouchsafing even a hint whether he had relinquished +his project or was still intent on carrying it into +execution. +</p> + +<p> +So Harry was fain to relapse into silence also; +and being very tired from all the racing after the +hares and all the previous anxiety of the day, he +was glad to hurry into bed and try to forget in +sleep all the anxieties and worries which were +oppressing him. +</p> + +<p> +He had scarcely placed his head on the pillow +ere the sleep he had so eagerly sought began to +overpower him; and his mind had already wandered +off into a strange dreamland, when some one shook +him rather roughly by the shoulder, and Fred in a +hoarse whisper exclaimed, "Harry, confound you, +can't you wake up? What on earth have you done +with the matches? I have been hunting for them +all over the room, and can't find them." +</p> + +<p> +"Matches! Why—why—oh yes; of course +they are hiding behind the bee-hives," gasped Harry, +whose imagination was once more busily engaged in +chasing the hares. +</p> + +<p> +"Behind the bee-hives! What on earth are you +talking about, you gabby?" +</p> + +<p> +"I—I'm positive I saw them there." +</p> + +<p> +"Where, you jackass?" +</p> + +<p> +"In between the garden wall and the water-butt." +</p> + +<p> +"For goodness' sake wake up, Harry, and tell me +where are the matches!" +</p> + +<p> +"The matches! Why, what do you want them +for?" and Harry, sitting up in his bed, rubbed his +eyes furiously, and then stared in blank wonder at +his brother, who, with a lighted candle in his hand, +stood by the bedside, still dressed in his evening +clothes, and with a face as white as the white paper +on the wall behind him. +</p> + +<p> +"Fred, why on earth aren't you in bed? What +is it you want?" +</p> + +<p> +"The matches, you ass." +</p> + +<p> +"Matches! I don't think there are any in the +room; I used the last one in the box this morning." +</p> + +<p> +"What on earth did you do that for?" +</p> + +<p> +"To seal up a parcel of garden seeds for mother." +</p> + +<p> +"It's just like you. Where is the box, and let +me see if there ain't another to be found in it?" +</p> + +<p> +"The box is in the drawer of my washing-stand; +but there is no use at all looking into it; you'll +find nothing there but a nice little toad I picked up +in a ditch this morning, and which I'm keeping to +tease Mother Duffy with." +</p> + +<p> +"I never knew any one like you," grumbled +Fred savagely as he turned away from the bed; +"as sure as ever a fellow wants a thing, you are +certain to have been beforehand with him; and if +I make a mull of the whole thing now, it will be +your fault." +</p> + +<p> +"Perhaps there are matches in Kathleen's room." +</p> + +<p> +"Pooh, I've no notion of bringing the house +down about my ears by rousing up everybody in it. +Just you go to sleep and mind your own business." +</p> + +<p> +"I can't go to sleep when I know you are going +to do some awfully risky thing." +</p> + +<p> +"Risky, my dear fellow! the only risk there can +be about it, is the danger of the candle going out. +If I were to stumble in the dark and come a cropper +on my head, ten to one but the house might be +roused, and then I might shut up shop, and no mistake." +</p> + +<p> +"But what's the use of making such a dangerous +experiment? what can you gain even if you do succeed?" +</p> + +<p> +"I can gain my point, and that's about as much +to me just now as—as anything you need care to +mention. But if you are so chicken-hearted as not +to take any interest in the matter, tuck your little +head under your little wing and go to sleep." +</p> + +<p> +"Fred, you know it's only for your sake." +</p> + +<p> +"Gammon,—my sake! go to sleep, I tell you." +</p> + +<p> +"Remember if you do come to grief it's no fault +of mine," cried Harry, hoarsely, as he rolled himself +round in the blankets, and turned his face towards +the wall. +</p> + +<p> +"All serene; and if I don't come to grief, all the +honour and glory will be mine. And now, as I said +before, you'd better shut up and go to sleep as fast +as you can; for until I know that every living soul +in the house is as sound as a top, I'll not budge one +foot from the place." +</p> + +<p> +So Harry, thus admonished, lay perfectly still; +though had Fred leaned over his brother's bed, he +might have heard his teeth chattering together in +his head, and the loud throbbings of his heart, which +the dangerous project about to be carried out had +excited to no common degree. +</p> + +<p> +But as it was, Fred's own heart beat so loud, and +his teeth chattered to such an unusual extent, it +never occurred to him to think that another person +could be suffering the same pangs of uneasiness as +himself. Once or twice he had almost relinquished +his perilous undertaking; for as the night wore on, +and a great stillness took possession of the Hall, +familiar objects assumed such strange and goblin-like +shapes, that a more courageous nature than Fred's +might well have been deterred from venturing +amongst them. But Fred had a curiously tenacious +spirit, and a project once undertaken and thought +over, and, above all, boasted of to his friends, he +would go through fire and water to carry out; and +his pride rose up stronger than all the ghosts and +goblins in the world, to strengthen him against +weakly, or at least as he thought weakly, yielding +to the promptings of a childish and puerile fear. +</p> + +<p> +As the clock therefore struck one, and perfect +silence reigned, Fred opened his door and stole +quietly out on the broad landing. The hall, which +lay beneath, and into which he could peer by leaning +over the banisters, was perhaps the most ghostly +spot in the whole place to visit at such a time: for +as Fred held the light of his one solitary candle over +the dark gulf beneath, shadowy figures, draped in +white, seemed to be gathered in the space below; +some robed in sheets, with drooping heads and +disconsolate figures; and others with white arms +stretched imploringly out into the surrounding gloom. +These figures gave a terribly spectral appearance to +the hall, and sent another thrill of uncertainty and +irresolution through the brain of our unfortunate +hero. +</p> + +<p> +"Pooh, what folly; had not he often walked about +in that very hall, and touched those very statues +with his hands, which now looked so unearthly and +goblin like? There was no real difference between +walking among them in the night or the day; and if +he gave way to such humbugging fancies, he might +as well give up the whole plan." +</p> + +<p> +Thus Fred reasoned with himself, and did battle +with his fears, just as if they were the voices of +opposing friends who sought to put him off from his +project; and in his vexation with himself, he almost +spoke aloud, and gripped the top of the banisters +defiantly, as if they too had tried to balk his fancy. +</p> + +<p> +"If only he had some matches,"—this was the great +weight on his mind; for if the candle went out in +some unexpected draught from some dark and winding +passage, what was he to do? While he deliberated +thus, he remembered having seen, in the inside +hall, a box fixed against the wall for the convenience +of those who wished to light their bed-candles +downstairs: and this thought comforted him not a little, +and encouraged him at least to descend so far as the +inner room; for even were he to be discovered, no +exception could be taken to his making a raid from +his own room in search of matches, none being to be +had upstairs. +</p> + +<p> +So leaving the door of his own apartment slightly +ajar, that he might the more speedily and noiselessly +re-enter it, he slowly and cautiously crept down the +first flight of stairs, having previously taken off his +slippers, that no sound of a footfall might rouse any +of the more wakeful inhabitants of the house. +</p> + +<p> +As he placed his foot on the last step of the first +flight, he heard a sound as of some one stirring in +the passage above, and with much greater haste than +he had hitherto used, he descended the remaining +flights, till he found himself at the foot of the main +staircase of the Hall, and in the immediate vicinity +of two grim warriors in rusty armour, who, each +with a halberd in his gloved hand, kept watch at +either side of the ascent. Indeed, so nervous was +Fred that he forgot the existence of these mail-clad +giants altogether, and turning hastily round the +corner, he came against one of them with such force +that it swayed ominously to and fro on its wooden +stand, and finally dropped the halberd from its hand! +For one instant Fred thought that all was lost; +that the noise of the falling weapon resounding +through the hall must alarm the whole household; +but happily for him, instead of tumbling on the +polished oaken floor of the hall, it fell into the soft +flaxen mat at the foot of the staircase, and except for +a slight clinking of metal, and a dull sound just as +it reached the floor, nothing followed to betray the +presence of a midnight intruder. +</p> + +<p> +Had Fred raised his head at this moment and +looked above him, to see from whence the noise +which had first startled him had proceeded, he would +indeed have seen a ghostly visage looking at him, +with ashy face and large eyes full of an almost +unearthly anxiety; but as it was, he hurried blindly +on into the inner hall, that, if pursued, he might be +found in the vicinity of the match-box, whose +contents, he might truthfully say, he wished to rifle. +</p> + +<p class="capcenter"> +<a id="img-142"></a> +<br> +<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-142.jpg" alt="The flame of the candle flickered horribly."> +<br> +The flame of the candle flickered horribly. +</p> + +<p> +But no further sound as of pursuers reached his +ears, and having snatched a handful of matches out +of the tin box as he passed on, he proceeded with +more courageous steps towards the back passages of +the house, from whence the staircase descended to +the lower regions and subterraneous quarters, in close +contiguity to which stood the store-room, within +whose walls and upon whose shelves lay the box +marked "Fragile." +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap13"></a></p> + +<h2> +CHAPTER XIII. +<br><br> +FROM BAD TO WORSE. +</h2> + +<p> +The stillness of a large house at dead of night +has something at all times very oppressive +in it, but more especially when the intruder +on this silence is in a highly wrought state +of nerves, and acutely watchful of any sound which +may arise to alarm him, or interfere with the project +he has in hand. +</p> + +<p> +Fred felt this oppression to a painful degree as +he passed out of ear-shot of the great pendulum in +the main hall, whose loud ticking might be heard +over the greater part of the house; but the passages +into which he must turn his steps, in order to reach +the store-room, were in a wing all to themselves, +and separated from the main building by walls thick +and massive enough to deaden even a more penetrating +sound than the metallic click, click of the old +time-piece. +</p> + +<p> +Even the wind, which all night long had kept up +a monotonous wail round the Hall, did not seem to +make itself heard in those dark and out-of-the-way +lobbies; and the chirp, chirp of the cricket, which +Fred detested so much to hear in his own home, would +have been a welcome intrusion now on the +overpowering feeling of utter loneliness and isolation. +</p> + +<p> +Had Fred not made himself master of a whole +handful of matches, his fears at this moment would +have been almost enough to have conquered every +other feeling; for at each turn of the way the flame +of the candle flickered horribly, sometimes dying +out to a thin blue line and then reviving again as +the unseen draught was left behind, and making +Fred's heart suddenly leap up into his throat with +each fresh terror, leaving him more and more unfit +to cope with the dangerous task which he had +undertaken. +</p> + +<p> +It was a green baize door leading into the further-most +passage of all which first brought him to a complete +standstill, and made him actually shudder with +disgust and horror at the thought of having to pass +through its tightly closed portals. +</p> + +<p> +For as Fred stretched forth his hand to push it +inwards on its spring, and in so doing brought his +candle close to its nail-dotted covering, he beheld +the whole surface of the baize one moving mass of +black and horny animals; some creeping rapidly to +and fro with shining spiky legs; and others, with +huge demon-like horns and palpitating antennae, +slowly and leisurely inspecting the green woollen +fabric on which they had taken up a temporary +position. +</p> + +<p> +"What diabolical monsters! how on earth can +anybody face such a host of dirty black brutes!" +muttered Fred between his teeth, as he lowered the +candle sufficiently to see that the whole ground at +his feet was in possession of the same uncanny +creatures, and that one monster with great stag-like +horns was already in occupation of the toe part of +his stocking. +</p> + +<p> +Fred uttered a faint scream, and shook his foot to +and fro, hoping to dislodge the enemy, but all in +vain; its black claws were fastened firmly into the +wool, and until he struck it two or three times +with the edge of the silver candlestick, he did not +succeed in ridding himself of his enemy. +</p> + +<p> +In despair he now pushed his way through the +door, only to find the passage beyond in possession +of the same hideous invaders; so he determinedly +closed his eyes and hurried forward, every now and +then shuddering from head to foot as he felt himself +crushing down some horny and unpleasant substance. +Nor did he venture to look around him until he had +arrived at the head of the private flight of stairs +leading immediately from his aunt's own boudoir to +the store-room beneath; but at the foot of which +also lay certain ghostly subterranean passages with +their iron-clamped doors, and dark and dismal +surroundings. +</p> + +<p> +This was the moment which, from the beginning, +Fred had dreaded the most: for even in the daylight +he had felt a certain amount of nervousness in +penetrating any distance into these underground +places, and especially since one of the grooms had +told him of a white figure which might be seen +there occasionally at night time, wandering about +dim and ghostly, with its right hand mournfully +extended as if in search of some one or something +it had lost; and an access of almost childish terror +overpowered Fred as he felt he must now either +encounter these supernatural horrors quite alone and +unprotected, or retire from a certain victory just at +the moment when its fulfilment was actually within +his reach. +</p> + +<p> +But at this juncture the mocking face and voice +of Maurice came so vividly before his mind, that he +felt quite a new and sudden rush of courage; and +the desire to be equal with the boy who had kicked +him so ignominiously aside in the store-room beneath, +made for the moment every other feeling but that +of revenge sink into utter nothingness; and shading +the flame of the candle carefully with his hand so +as to secure its light in this most dreary and +darksome region, he descended cautiously step by step +until he stood at the foot of the stone flight, within +a few paces of which was the goal of all his hopes. +</p> + +<p> +He resolutely determined not to look around him +until he should reach the door of the store-room, so +as not to conjure up imaginary terrors; and turning +round at the foot of the stairs, in another moment +he stood in front of the panelling, from which, in the +bright light of the candle, he could already see the +ends of the cord depending through the slits in the +store-room wall. +</p> + +<p> +At first, in his nervous haste, Fred tugged at the +wrong strings, and thus only succeeded in riveting +the bolts tighter, and for a few minutes his distress +of mind and disappointment were so great, that +beads of perspiration started out upon his forehead, +and his knees bent and trembled beneath him. +</p> + +<p> +Almost in despair, and without realizing that his +failure was all owing to his own mistake, Fred seized +one of the other cords and chucked it violently, the +result of which proved almost as terrifying in its +own way; for the bolt, thus suddenly appealed to, +started back from its socket with such a noisy +screech that Fred leaped back against the wall and +thrust his fingers into his ears, with some foolish +thought that, in doing this, he would deaden the +ears of the rest of the world as well. For a few +minutes he waited and watched anxiously to see if +any one had been roused by the noise, holding the +flame of the candle close to his lips, so as to blow it +out at a moment's warning, and so shroud himself +in the security of darkness; but no movement or +stir of any kind followed, and, somewhat reassured, +Fred set to work with more caution to loosen the +companion bolt at the foot of the secret door. +</p> + +<p> +Fortunately for him it glided from its socket +freely, without even the grating sound which might +have been anticipated, for the grease which had +been applied in the afternoon had done its work +most effectually; and Fred, with a joy not unmixed +with fear, saw the slit in the panel open yawningly +before him, revealing sundry ghostly shapes within, +the exact outlines of which it was impossible for +him as yet to distinguish by the one dim and +flickering light which trembled in his guilty hand. +</p> + +<p> +To enter by this secret door, Fred had to stand +on a low broad step in the passage outside; a fact +which he had not noticed in the haste and flurry +of the previous evening, and on which if he had +paused now to reason, he might have saved himself +from the disaster which almost immediately followed. +</p> + +<p> +But full of eagerness to gain his object, and yet +more desirous of regaining the peace and security of +his own room, Fred stooped low down, and holding +the light in front of him, entered in a cat-like, +stealthy manner, by the half open door. +</p> + +<p> +His first sensation, which, unhappily for him, was +of short duration, was that of treading on some +soft and peculiarly yielding substance, first with +one foot and then with the other; and a most +unpleasant sensation it was, as of something adhesive +and horribly clammy sticking to the soles of his +stockings, and he hastened to extricate himself from +his position as quickly as he could, to do which he +stepped forward boldly with the lighted candle in +his hand. +</p> + +<p> +Too boldly, alas, for him, as, forgetful that the +inner step or shelf on which he had entered was +higher by many inches than the ground, he fell +headlong on the floor, extinguishing the candle in +his fall and scattering the matches in hopeless +confusion over jars, and shelves, and jam-pots, emitting +at the same time a loud yell of terror, enough in +itself to alarm all the people both within and +without the building, and to apprise them of his +whereabouts. +</p> + +<p> +For a few moments all was darkness, confusion, +and misery; and Fred, in a wild kind of hopelessness, +tried to force himself to believe that it was all +a dream of horror, from which he would awake +presently, and rejoice in the knowledge of his safety. +But no such relief came to him; and presently, +with a sinking heart, he began to free himself from +the cramped position in which he lay, when, to his +inexpressible disgust, he found it was a dish of +honey into which he had stepped a moment before, +for his stockings and the legs of his trousers were +sticky and clammy to a pitiable degree. And to +add to his discomfiture, as he stood in the dark, +and strove to wipe off with his handkerchief some of +the adhesive stuff, a half-dead bee (the honey having +been taken from the hive only that afternoon) stung +him in the arm, and forced him to stamp on the floor +with rage and vexation. +</p> + +<p> +Fred's one idea now was to find a match somewhere, +and strike a light; the darkness in itself +was intolerable. What if he were to see the figure, +clothed all in ghostly white, come down the passage +now in search of its lost companion! A shudder +passed over him at the bare idea. +</p> + +<p> +It would be too disappointing if he had to return +without having gained the object for which he had +risked so much. His scream had, fortunately, not +aroused any of the inmates of the house: it would +be well to make one last and decisive effort to carry +out his scheme; and Fred, rubbing his elbows, +which had suffered severely in the fall, searched over +the ground for the candlestick, which had fallen +from his hand. +</p> + +<p> +But the candlestick had rolled off behind a chest +of tea; and when at length, after much stooping +and groping, he had found it, the candle itself was +missing, having been jerked forward in quite an +opposite direction. +</p> + +<p> +This new search lasted fully five minutes, for the +candle had got wedged between a box of raisins +and the back of a shelf; and when at last he actually +had it in his hand, it was broken quite in two, and +refused to sit up straight in the candlestick. +</p> + +<p> +But the greatest disappointment was yet to come; +for now that the candle was found, and so little +remained between him and the accomplishment of +his object, the matches, dozens of which he +discovered lying upon the floor at his feet, all +positively refused to light! He struck them against +the wall, the door, the shelves; all in vain. He +stamped on them, he kicked them, he called them +by every bad name in his calendar of epithets; but +in vain. The matches only lighted on their own +box; and Fred, forgetful once more of the dish of +honey, actually sat down on the step in the store-room +and cried—cried with sheer mortification and +disappointment—while in the pauses of his grief he +still hurled at Messrs. Bryant and May all the +furious expletives of which he was master. How +was he ever to get back again to his own room! +It would be impossible without a light to find his +way through the intricate passages of the Hall, to +say nothing of the black and horny beasts which +had possession of those silent corridors. There was, +alas! no help, no refuge from this misfortune; unless, +indeed, he chose to wait patiently where he was till +the early morning light should come to his aid. But +oh what an insufferable time to spend all alone in +this dungeon of a store-room! a place Fred now +wished with all his heart he had never seen or +heard of. +</p> + +<p> +His grief and utter misery became every moment +more and more overwhelming: the loneliness and +silence of the place sent cold shivers chasing each +other down his back, while the hideous darkness +of all around and about him was almost beyond the +strength of mind, and endurance of body of a lad of +his age. +</p> + +<p> +At length he was driven most unwillingly to the +conclusion that his only chance of safety or success +lay in patiently abiding in this den of horrors until +the first gray of the dawning should yield him +sufficient light to effect his escape; and having thus +decided, Fred, still unconsciously seated on a dish +of honey, closed his eyes tightly, and thrust his +fingers into his ears, that no ghostly apparition +might startle him, nor sounds of supernatural +footsteps moving about and around him might rob him +of the small stock of self-command and courage +which still existed within his breast. +</p> + +<p> +How long he sat thus he did not know, or whether +kindly sleep came to his aid for a few minutes; but +when next he uncovered his eyes, although at first +all seemed as dark as ever, he gradually became +aware that dawn was on the approach, for the +closely-barred grating which looked out on the passage +began to make itself visible, though after a horribly +dread and mysterious fashion, giving to the newly +awakened eyes within the impression of some dim. +far-off dungeon window, and raising a thousand +new and strange thoughts within the over-tired +and over-excited brain of the unfortunate self-made +prisoner. +</p> + +<p> +Slowly, very slowly, however, other objects began +to shape themselves out of the darkness—the shelves, +the sacks, the chests, the white jam-pots. Fred +gazed and gazed, till, with the very force of gazing, +he conjured up strange shapes out of the surrounding +gloom. But what was that tall object standing by +the back row of shelves? Fred leaned forward and +looked so intently that small sparks of fire seemed +to pass over the surface of his eyeballs. It was +horribly like the height and figure of a man—the +figure of some one dressed in white, and standing +in silent guard beside the long row of shelves! +</p> + +<p> +Fred actually felt his hair rise up on end on his +head, and, with one hand pressed on the step on +which he sat, he rose to fly—ay, cowardly as the +act might appear, Fred's one thought now was of +flight. But to effect his escape by the door, he +must climb upon the step where he had been seated; +and this was awkward, for the ceiling was low, and +in order to mount he must move a step or so nearer +the white and motionless figure which so filled his +heart with fear. +</p> + +<p> +He stealthily stretched out one foot, and then +cautiously advanced the other; but with all his care +he could not escape contact. His heel touched the +draped outline of the figure, and as it did so, to +his intense horror and surprise the white robes in +which it had been enveloped instantly glided from +the body and fell upon the floor. +</p> + +<p> +Another piercing scream rang through the Hall, +only to be cut short by a quick gasp of relief, as +Fred, with the cold sweat on his forehead, recognized +the skeleton form of the ladder on which his +cousin Maurice had remained perched for so many +hours the day before; while the white garments +which had filled him with such awe were none other +than the folds of the long pantry-apron which Maurice +had tied round his neck whilst assisting in the +store-room. +</p> + +<p> +Fred did not know he had screamed. The instantaneous +change from intense fear to a calm comprehension +of his surroundings had so taken up all his +thoughts as to render him unaware that he had again +risked discovery; and now with the remembrance +of Maurice had come back the hot sting of anger +and the desire for revenge. Ay, and he would have +it too. It was not for nothing he had gone through +such a terrible night; it was within his grasp now, +and all the world should not prevent him from tasting +the pleasure of so complete a victory. +</p> + +<p> +As these thoughts kindled furiously, and fanned +themselves into a blaze in Fred's mind, he actually +made a movement forward, and laid his hands on +the still indistinct rungs of the ladder. All was +still so dark and shadowy he could not distinguish +the box which he had sworn to rifle, or rather into +whose depths he was determined to investigate, and +the word "Fragile" was as yet invisible to his eye: +but time was precious, and the servants in the Hall +were early risers; who could tell that, although so +gloomy and obscure in these underground regions, +sunlight might not be shining in the windows +above, and that the house was already alive with +busy workers. +</p> + +<p> +These reflections decided Fred upon immediate +action. He did not delay a moment, but laid a +hand on each side of the ladder, which tottered not +a little as he moved it from its first position and +placed it more towards the centre of the wall, and +pressing at the same time its topmost rung against +the highest range of shelves. +</p> + +<p> +The ladder was by no means a very steady one, +especially as its left foot stood on the ball of string +which had played such an important part in the +drama of the evening before; but Fred knew nothing +of this, and went very cautiously to work, so +as not to overbalance himself, and perhaps come to +some fresh grief. +</p> + +<p> +It was even yet so dark that though Fred knew +he must be within a few inches of the shelf on which +the chess-box stood, he could not trace the form nor +even the faintest outline of any of the packages +which he remembered the night before to have +noticed in close proximity to the coveted case. So, +still poised on the top rung but one of the ladder, +Fred stared with all his might straight before him, +hoping by the dint of earnest looking to see the word +"Fragile" rise up out of the darkness and greet his +eyes with the glad promise of success. +</p> + +<p> +And suddenly, as if by magic, and almost as it +seemed to him as if a fairy's wand had touched the +space before him, the shelf grew curiously and +unexpectedly luminous, and the long-watched-for +chess-box started out of the gloom actually in front of him, +and within a couple of inches of the place where his +right hand was resting! +</p> + +<p> +A sudden shaft of daylight had found its way +down the obscure passage; at least so Fred surmised, +for he dared not turn round on the ladder to look, +and now or never was the moment to carry out his +project. He loosened his grip of the ladder, and +stretched out his right hand to the chest. In order +to secure it, he had to put his arm quite round it +and draw it nearer to him, for he durst not let go of +the ladder with his other hand lest he might fall +headlong from his perch. But the box was much +heavier than he had anticipated; and having drawn +it over towards the edge of the shelf, he leaned one +side of it against his chest, and still clasping it with +his right hand prepared for his descent; for it would +be impossible to look into its contents poised so +insecurely on the ladder, and when once carefully +examined, in the security of the room beneath, he +could replace it in its original position. +</p> + +<p> +But how was this? The whole room was becoming +strangely bright; even the printed labels on the +sauce bottles and mustard-tins on the shelves in +front of him were becoming startlingly visible; +neither could it be the pale gray of dawn which was +creeping in through the window, but a yellow, +tremulous light. He must turn his head a little +to see what it all could mean, and not allow a +sudden and terrible panic to overpower him and +snatch away his victory just in the moment of +triumph. +</p> + +<p> +And Fred did turn his head, while the blood +rushed in a sickening speed back upon his heart; for +it was not daylight which was outside yonder in the +passage, but a flickering, advancing flame, which was +throwing shadows over the passage-wall, and casting +into profound darkness the nooks and angles where +a faint dawn had only a moment before been busy +chasing the gloom away. +</p> + +<p> +If only his heart would not thump so, then he +could listen for footsteps. Hark! yes, there were +footsteps, he could hear them now; stealthy, +creeping footsteps, drawing nearer and nearer. If he +could only reach the bottom of the ladder and lie +down on the ground, no one could see him; but +poised as he was in mid-air, the next turn of the +passage, and his figure must be revealed to the eyes +of the intruders outside. +</p> + +<p> +Only for this miserable box marked "Fragile," he +could slide down the ladder in a trice; but now, +unless he let it fall purposely from his grasp, he +must go down carefully and cautiously to the very +ground. If he could but know who and what +they were that were approaching; robbers perhaps, +or some one startled by the noise of his fall, and +seeking through the Hall for its cause—or, or could +it be— +</p> + +<p> +The rungs of the ladder trembled under Fred's +terrified steps, and the wood creaked ominously. +"Hush! good heavens, what was that?" Fred's eyeballs +almost leaped from their sockets, and he grasped +the sides of the ladder more firmly as a flutter of +some white drapery showed itself for a moment in +the passage beyond. +</p> + +<p> +"It is the ghost," gasped Fred, while the suspense +which had thrilled every fibre of his body up till now +turned to a cold and deadly faintness. "I—I +saw—saw—" Fred felt his hand relaxing on the chest +and the sudden sway of the ladder, and in the agony +of this new terror he gave a quick short cry of +fear. +</p> + +<p> +At this moment a white-clothed figure with a +light in its hand appeared distinctly at the end of +the passage; and Fred, with a consciousness that +the ladder was swinging completely round, and that +the chest marked "Fragile" was gliding from his +hand, felt or knew nothing more, save one sharp +sting of pain behind his ear, and then all was +darkness about and around him, without either the light +of dawn or of candle to break its obscurity and +silence. +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap14"></a></p> + +<h2> +CHAPTER XIV. +<br><br> +GLOOMY FOREBODINGS. +</h2> + +<p> +When Fred came back to himself again +after he had, as it seemed to him, gone +through ages of time, and lived in scenes +and places remotely apart from his +present uncomfortable position, he found +himself lying on some cold flagging oil-cloth in a +dimly lighted passage, with his head supported on +some one's knees, and two eager, anxious eyes, +glaring into his face with a scrutiny which, though +it was awestruck and terrified, yet had no threatening +or sinister expression. +</p> + +<p> +"Fred, Fred, old fellow, are you better? do say +you're better," cried a voice whose anxious tones +corresponded with the anxious gaze above him; but +the dizziness was so great and the faintness so +oppressive, Fred could not respond, and closed his +eyes again with a shuddering sigh. +</p> + +<p> +"I do believe he's off again; what are we to do? +I say, Kathleen, has that place stopped bleeding +yet?" +</p> + +<p> +"Not quite," replied a very sorrowful voice behind +his head; and then Fred felt that some one was +stanching a wound behind his ear with a handkerchief. +</p> + +<p> +"If he does not come round soon, we must rouse +up some one or other: it's awful having him here, +perhaps dying, all by ourselves in the middle of the +night;" and Fred heard distinctly the dry sob which +finished this hopeless remark. +</p> + +<p> +"Wait a minute," he managed to say, while he +tried to raise his head a little from his sister's knee. +"If you give me time I shall be all right." A fearful +remembrance was beginning to dawn on his mind, +and a rising sense of jeopardy and danger close at +hand. He moaned aloud. +</p> + +<p> +"There, then, don't hurry, and you'll soon be all +right, old man. There is no good trying to sit up +until you are able, so lie still a bit longer." +</p> + +<p> +"But we shall have the whole place about our +ears if we don't hurry?" and Fred looked up +inquiringly at his brother. +</p> + +<p> +"Not a fear of it; it is only four o'clock, and +there won't be a soul stirring for another hour and +a half." +</p> + +<p> +Then Fred drew a deep sigh and closed his eyes, +lying back heavily on his sister's arm till they +thought he had almost fallen asleep; but by-and-by +he asked, in a tremulous, anxious voice, "Harry, I +suppose I made an awful smash of it." +</p> + +<p> +"Of what?" +</p> + +<p> +"Of the chess-box and everything." +</p> + +<p> +"To tell you the truth I don't know, for I just +hauled you out the best way I could; and precious +hard work it was too, to get you over that brutal +shelf, and the whole place a mess of honey and +bees-wax." +</p> + +<p> +"Did you close the door after you even?" +</p> + +<p> +"How could I, when I had you in my arms?" +</p> + +<p> +"And you left it standing wide open for every +one to know what has happened!" and Fred covered +his face with his hands in the misery of his +recollections. +</p> + +<p> +"It's not too late to shut it now, if that's all you +want," said Harry, leaping to his feet. +</p> + +<p> +"And cut off the ends of the string while you +are about it, like a good fellow," moaned Fred. +</p> + +<p> +"What string?" +</p> + +<p> +"The string fastened to the bolts." +</p> + +<p> +"I have not a notion what you mean; but I +suppose I shall find out." And Harry soon +disappeared round the corner of the passage which led +to the store-room door. +</p> + +<p> +He was a long time away, and when he came +back Fred was sitting up and watching for him +anxiously. +</p> + +<p> +"There!" he cried, tossing three or four ends of +cord on his brother's knees. "It took me a good +ten minutes to gnaw these ruffians across. If they +were the ropes of a four-master, they could not be +tougher or harder to break." +</p> + +<p> +"Did you chink the bolts back again into their +place?" asked Fred uneasily. +</p> + +<p> +"Ay did I; and one fellow squeaked like blue +murder. But I say, Fred, if you are all right now, +we had better peg on, for I thought I heard a stir +in the lower regions, and the place will soon be alive +with housemaids and besoms." +</p> + +<p> +Thus admonished, Fred rose from the ground, and +with the assistance of Harry and Kathleen stood +straight up on his feet. +</p> + +<p> +"How do you feel now?" +</p> + +<p> +"Just a little shaky in the upper story. But +never mind; once I am in bed I shall be all +right." +</p> + +<p> +Harry blew out his candle, as the dawn was now +on the increase; and the three slowly and cautiously +made their way along passages and through doorways, +until at last they stood in the main hall, with +its statues and grim warriors keeping guard at the +foot of the staircase. Fred's knees were shaking +beneath him, and his heart sickened at the sight of +the numerous steps before him. +</p> + +<p> +"Gather up all your courage, and you'll be there +before you know where you are," whispered Harry, +whose brotherly eyes read every thought of Fred's +heart. +</p> + +<p> +"I know I wish I never had come down them," +murmured Fred despondingly; and, leaning heavily +on the supporting arms held out to him, he wearily +plodded on to the top, when, with one more almost +despairing effort, he staggered forward to the door of +his own room, which Harry pushed open, and Fred, +stretching out his hand in the gloom of the closely +darkened room, sank helplessly on the nearest chair, +with closed eyes and a gray pallor spreading over all +his face. +</p> + +<p> +"Safe at last!" gasped Harry, as he felt his way +over to the window, and turned back one leaf of the +shutter to admit some light. "But oh what an +awful night it has been! I would not go through +it again for twenty pounds!" +</p> + +<p> +"Yes; and what will happen to us to-morrow, +when Aunt Marian finds it all out?" continued +Kathleen, in a dolorous whisper— +</p> + +<p> +"For goodness' sake, do stop talking!" cried Fred +piteously. "Don't you see how miserable I am +already! Could not you lend me an arm one of +you to help me into bed?" +</p> + +<p> +Harry instantly came forward and gave his +brother his arm, assisting him across the room, and +laying him down tenderly in the bed, where he +covered him up with the clothes; and having +examined the wound behind his ear, to see that it was +no longer bleeding, he moved quietly away. +</p> + +<p> +"Kathleen, go to your bed now," he said, turning +round to his sister, who stood trembling in her +night-dress and bare feet in the centre of the room. +"I am afraid you will have caught your death of +cold in these passages. Roll yourself up as warmly +as you can in the blankets, and the first person I +hear stirring in the house I'll send and get you a +hot cup of tea." +</p> + +<p> +Kathleen lingered, however, a few minutes, just +to see that Fred was all right, and settling +comfortably for sleep; and as there was no movement, +and his breathing sounded tolerably easy and +regular, she presently turned away, and with a glance +cast towards Harry, expressive of the most gloomy +forebodings, she opened the door of her own room +and retired to bed. +</p> + +<p> +Harry, however, could not think of rest: he +drew his chair over beside the open shutter, and +looked out over the parterre beneath, with its still +sleeping flowers, on to the gray and drowsy world beyond. +</p> + +<p> +Even the crows in the rookery were not stirring +yet; only the sentinels on the outermost branches +gave an occasional "caw," and flapped their black +wings ominously. +</p> + +<p> +But the daylight was close at hand, for all that; +and he had not sat there long before the sun rose +up behind the hills, and with it the whole face of +nature grew bright and beautiful. The birds began +to sing vigorously, and the gloom and mystery of +the twilight disappeared. +</p> + +<p> +Yet somehow this glow and cheerful sunlight +brought no comfort to Harry's mind. On the contrary, +in exact proportion to the increased glory and +beauty of the outside world the darkness and +despair of his heart deepened, and the consequences of +the last night's adventure assumed every moment +more terrible proportions. +</p> + +<p> +Oh what a jolly time they might have had if +things had not gone wrong! How beautiful and +grand and splendid a place it was, with its gardens, +and fountains, and woods, and gymnasium, and every +pleasure that could be thought of! And Harry's eyes +roamed over all the demesne with an overpowering +melancholy, as he thought of the leave-taking which +his heart told him only too surely was close at hand. +</p> + +<p> +And how had all this misery come about, which +for the last few days had been hedging them in +closer and closer, round and round, and which +now seemed to hide out all that was peaceful and +bright. It was a subject for deep thought and +consideration, and the disentangling of all the +wretchedness of the last few days was by no means an +agreeable or lively task; and Harry's sighs followed so +quickly and unconsciously one upon the other, that +at length there was a stir in the far-off bed, and +Fred cried out in a voice of anguish,— +</p> + +<p> +"Harry, do stop groaning and sighing over there +at the window! If you were as miserable as I am, +you might sigh till your heart burst, and it would +do you no good in the end." +</p> + +<p> +"You cannot be more miserable than I am," said +Harry quickly, while he bent his head down upon +his folded arm on the window-sill. +</p> + +<p> +"Why, what have <i>you</i> to be unhappy about, I'd +like to know? <i>You</i> have done nothing wrong: +you have not got into a single row since you came +into the house, while I have been plunging out of +one only to fall into another twice as bad. I'd give +all I have in the world this moment to be safe at +home, and awake in the morning and find the whole +thing had been a beastly nightmare. If mother had +been here, that's all: but there is no use in +thinking of 'ifs;' only what a difference it would have +made! And yet," added Fred; and then followed +a long pause, during which time his face grew +unusually grave and thoughtful, and undeniable tears +came up into his eyes. +</p> + +<p> +"And yet what?" asked Harry timidly, for +Fred did not always like having his thoughts +"fished up into the light," as he called it; but this +time he only stretched out his arms kindly towards +his brother, and said in a softened voice:— +</p> + +<p> +"I remember when I was first revelling in the +thought of coming here and staying with Aunt +Marian, I thought nearly the best of the whole +thing, if not quite, was, that neither father nor +mother would be with us, and that we should be +able to have everything and to do everything just +as we liked ourselves; and now I feel exactly the +opposite way. If you only knew the longing I have +this moment—the actually cruel longing—for mother +to come and sit beside my bed, you'd pity me. I +fell asleep a moment ago, just for a second, and +dreamt she was going over my Delectus with me +outside in the dear old verandah at home; and +when I awoke, and saw the corner of the wall paper +beside my bed, and knew I was here instead of +with her, I actually writhed under the clothes with +misery and wretchedness." And as he spoke, +Fred threw himself suddenly back in the bed, and +covered up his head with the clothes, and Harry +could see by the heaving of the counterpane that +once more his brother was seeking in his despair to +smother down the grief which oppressed him. +</p> + +<p> +At length the time came when it was necessary +to think of washing and dressing. The footman +came in with hot water, and carried down their +clothes to be brushed; nor did Harry discover that +he was still partially dressed in his evening costume +until John asked him politely if he would not like +his black trousers to be taken down to be cleaned. +And then he remembered with a start of horror how +he had drawn on the first pair that came to his +hand the night before; and now, as he gave them +up into the man's keeping, he felt convinced that +soon the whole affair would be known and talked of +downstairs, and that these very garments, which he +so reluctantly yielded, would become, as it were, +proofs of his complicity. It was impossible, +however, to defer the ordeal of breakfast and prayers; +and he slowly began to draw on his stockings and +clothes, wondering all the time whether he ought to +rouse Fred, who seemed to have fallen asleep, or at least +to be in a more composed and tranquil frame of mind. +</p> + +<p> +Fred, however, needed no reminder of the hour. +It was only a question of sickness and faintness +which had kept him so still and silent; and now +that this was beginning to pass off he slowly raised +himself up in his bed, and began with evident effort +to look matters in the face, and make up his mind +what course of conduct he ought to pursue. +</p> + +<p> +"Harry, throw me over one of my suspenders,—there's +a good fellow," he said presently. "I must +get up and dress and go down and face them all, or +they'd be suspecting something, and getting wind of +the whole affair before I've had time to think the +matter out, and settle what's best to be done. My +own idea is, that the moment breakfast is over I'll +just cut and run and make the best of my way home +somehow. I don't care how, so as I can bolt before +the thing is discovered, and my name turned into a +laughing-stock for the amusement of the company at large." +</p> + +<p> +"Fred, you are only humbugging; you would +not really do such a cowardly thing." +</p> + +<p> +"Cowardly! how do you mean? It's not a bit +cowardly. I just ask you, now, is a fellow supposed +to sit down quietly on a barrel of gunpowder and +wait till it explodes? Nonsense; of course not. 'He +who fights and runs away, will live to fight another +day;' and on that principle I shall certainly cut and +run. But oh, I say, Harry, shove us over a chair; +I'm so dead sick I cannot stand. Ugh!" and Fred +sank down on the top of a portmanteau and closed +his eyes, while the deadly paleness crept again over +his face. +</p> + +<p> +At this moment there was a knock at the bedroom +door, and Harry, scarcely conscious of what +he was saying or doing, so engrossed was he by +Fred's sudden faintness, cried out, "Come in." The +door accordingly opened, and Maurice walked in. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, Fred, old fellow," he cried heartily, "I +just came to look after you, as I heard from John +you weren't quite the thing—but—;" here Maurice +stood quite still in the centre of the room, aghast at +the pallor of Fred's face, and the evident distress +and anxiety depicted in his cousin's countenance. +"Good gracious, Fred, what's the matter with +you? you do look ill, and no mistake." +</p> + +<p> +"It's nothing, nothing in the least to signify," +cried Fred nervously, and waving back his cousin. +"I don't want anything, I assure you: please go +downstairs and never mind me; I'll follow presently." +</p> + +<p> +"Nonsense, man, you must not think of coming +downstairs when you're so ill; get back into bed, +and I'll bring you up a cup of coffee. Do, that's a +good fellow; indeed, you are not well enough to be +up and going about." +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, do go back to bed," urged Harry. "You +know you are as faint as ever you can be; and even +if you did make your way downstairs, you would +have to come up again." +</p> + +<p> +Thus urged, and feeling himself too miserable to +argue, Fred consented to return to the bed; but he +utterly refused to lean on Maurice's extended arm, +not through pride or vexation, but because he feared +Maurice might see the wound behind his ear, and +question him about it. +</p> + +<p> +"I say, what a smell of honey there is everywhere," +observed Maurice, as he stood by the chair +on which Fred had cast his socks. "I have noticed +it over the whole place ever since I got up this +morning." +</p> + +<p> +No one replied to this remark. Harry was assisting +Fred into bed, and pale as was Fred's face, it +was well for him it was turned towards the wall, or +the shudder caused by a sudden renewal of his fears +must have been apparent even to his unsuspecting cousin. +</p> + +<p> +The gong for prayers happily sounding at this +moment came to the relief of all parties, and Harry, +with many promises of a speedy return, left the room +in company with Maurice, who, not understanding +the restraint and gravity of his cousin's manner, felt +uneasy and constrained. +</p> + +<p> +As they went down the broad staircase, Maurice +once more spoke about the strong odour of honey +through the hall and along the passages, and expressed +some curiosity and surprise about the matter; but +even these apparently innocent remarks seemed +unfortunately chosen, for Harry coloured crimson, +and freeing his arm from his cousin, pushed his way +down the stairs in front of him. +</p> + +<p> +Lady Brinsley greeted Harry very affectionately +on his entrance; and only thinking that Fred was a +little late, made no remark on his absence until +prayers were finished, when Maurice having told her +of Fred's illness, she inquired most anxiously about +him, and offered, when breakfast was over, to go up +and see him, and then, if necessary, to send for advice +to the neighbouring town. +</p> + +<p> +Harry listened to her kind and thoughtful suggestions +in almost total silence; only a stray "Thank +you," or, "I am sure you are very kind, aunt," +dropping from his lips like so many stones instead of +words. Not till Lady Brinsley paused and questioned +him whether he was ill himself did he rouse himself +up sufficiently to give a definite answer. +</p> + +<p> +He assured her he was quite well; he had not +slept much, that was all, and that after breakfast +they would both be as right as trivets. And so +anxious was he to take his place at the table, and +thus avoid further questioning, that he became +entirely oblivious of Fred and his breakfast, and +unobservant of the fact that Maurice had already +poured out the coffee and carried the tray up to his +cousin's room. +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap15"></a></p> + +<h2> +CHAPTER XV +<br><br> +A CONTRAST. +</h2> + +<p> +"Now, Fred, old fellow, open your eyes and +turn round; here is your breakfast for +you," cried Maurice cheerily, as he laid +the tray with the smoking coffee and other +viands on his cousin's bed. +</p> + +<p> +Fred started round, and, quite unprepared for this +act of kindness, uttered some hasty but most +confused words of thanks. +</p> + +<p> +"I knew you preferred coffee to tea, and so I +brought it up without asking," continued Maurice +in the same easy and genial voice. "Sit up and +eat a little,—do; I am sure you will feel pounds +better when you have taken something." +</p> + +<p> +"I cannot eat, I am too sick," said Fred dolorously. +</p> + +<p> +"I wonder what on earth can have made you sick; +did you eat anything yesterday, or what?" +</p> + +<p> +Fred shook his head, but made no reply. +</p> + +<p> +"I should not be a bit surprised if it were the +beastly smell of honey which is all through the +house that has knocked you up. Some people can't +stand the smell of it, you know, and the whole place +is reeking like a bee-hive." +</p> + +<p> +Again Fred was silent, at least his lips uttered no +sound; but his face, which a moment before was +even a shade whiter than the pillow, now crimsoned +painfully, telling plainer than words that some +painful thoughts had possession of his mind. +</p> + +<p> +"Fred," said Maurice, sitting down at the foot of +the bed, and keeping his eyes averted until the blush +had cooled down from his cousin's face, "Fred, +listen to me, and tell me the truth; it was not the +blow I gave you yesterday in the store-room which +has made you so ill? Do say 'No;' for ever since +the thought first came into my head I have been +utterly miserable." +</p> + +<p> +Fred shook his head, and with his knife sliced a +hot roll in two, but he durst not look up, or the +tears which were in his eyes would indubitably have +rolled down his face. +</p> + +<p> +"If I did hurt you I'm awfully sorry," continued +Maurice humbly. +</p> + +<p> +"It's nothing; I'm scarcely hurt at all," replied +Fred, drawing his hand suddenly across his eyes,—"but +I'm such a fool;" and for further refuge he +bent his head over the coffee-cup and tried to drink. +</p> + +<p> +As he did so, Maurice uttered a kind of short cry +and leaned forward. "Fred, you are hurt, fearfully +hurt. I saw an awful cut behind your ear that time +you leaned forward; I am certain now I did do it, +or you would never try to hide it so." +</p> + +<p> +"No, no, no, I—I—it's not really a bad hurt; +please don't say anything about it. I shall be quite +right very soon, I am almost well now," gasped +Fred pushing aside his almost untasted breakfast, +and leaning back on his pillow. "It's only when I +sit up I feel so queer and donkeyish. There, please +go down and take your breakfast; thinking about it +at all makes me ten times as miserable." +</p> + +<p> +"But please, Fred, before I go down do tell me, +did you get that hurt in the store-room?" +</p> + +<p> +"I don't know how I got it,—at least not exactly," +hesitated Fred, in painful embarrassment. +</p> + +<p> +"But was it in the store-room? I cannot go +away until I know." +</p> + +<p> +"It was," said Fred, anxious at any cost to get +rid of his questioner; "and now you promised to go." +</p> + +<p> +"O Fred, I am so awfully sorry! How can I +ever forgive myself? But I have always been the +same passionate, headstrong bully, ever since I can +remember." +</p> + +<p> +"You promised you would go down," urged Fred, +"and now you are sticking there still, and killing me +with things you are saying. Please go back to your +breakfast; you'll know all about it soon enough." +</p> + +<p> +Maurice got up from the bed where he had been +seated, and looking at his cousin with remorseful +eye, said gravely, "At least you'll believe I never +intended to hurt you so, Fred." +</p> + +<p> +"I tell you you did not hurt me; I don't know +how it happened myself. If you only would do as +you promised, and leave me alone. Breakfast will +be over before you get back to them all." +</p> + +<p> +Maurice was pained and puzzled by his cousin's +manner and evident anxiety to be rid of him, and +yet he could not bear to leave him without convincing +him of his sorrow and concern. He lifted the +tray from the bed and placed it on a table close by, +and then he turned once more to pour his regret +into his cousin's ear; but Fred's eyes were closed, +and there was such an expression of pain upon his +face that he did not venture any further remonstrance, +but left the room sorrowfully, and went down to sit +at the breakfast-table, though certainly not to enjoy +the meal. +</p> + +<p> +It must have been evident to the rest of the +assembled company that something had gone very +wrong in the house that morning. Harry and +Kathleen sat like two ghosts at the table; Lady +Brinsley appeared unusually silent and grave; while +Maurice was absent the greater part of the meal, and +even when he did return he said little and ate less. +It was quite a relief when the meal was over and +they were all free to go out into the open air to +enjoy themselves as they liked; and as no particular +occupation or amusement had been proposed for the +day, the party broke up into groups of two and +three, who sauntered about through the pleasure-grounds +and held secret council with one another as +to what mischance had occurred within doors, to give +the air of pre-occupation and distress which was so +visible on the faces of their hosts and their hosts' +relations. +</p> + +<p> +Harry and Kathleen also separated themselves +from the rest of the party, and wandered off arm-in-arm +to hold council together over their miserable +plight, and to try to sketch out some plan of action +by which to shield Fred from the disgrace which +only too plainly lay before him. +</p> + +<p> +"We must not stay too long away," whispered +Kathleen, as her brother drew her on into the shade +of the sycamore walk, "for we cannot tell how soon +Aunt Marian will find everything out; and then if +she goes up to Fred and finds him all alone, it will +be terrible." +</p> + +<p> +"Terrible indeed!" groaned Harry. "It certainly +is the most awful thing that has ever happened to +us in our lives; and if Fred has really smashed the +chess-box, the harm done can never be undone. O +Kathleen, if we were only safe at home with mother +and father, what a glorious thing it would be!" +</p> + +<p> +"Yes," murmured Kathleen; "too glorious to +think of." +</p> + +<p> +Then they walked on for some time without +speaking, each of their minds being too full to speak, +till presently Harry said, more to himself than +addressing any one, "He must confess—yes, he must +confess it all; there is nothing else for him." +</p> + +<p> +"He will never do that," said Kathleen, hopelessly. +</p> + +<p> +"We must try to make him. It will be a +tough job, but there is no help for it. If he does +not confess now, he can never hold up his head +again." +</p> + +<p> +"Yes; and only think what papa and mamma +will say when they hear it all." +</p> + +<p> +"I have been tormenting myself with that thought +all the morning, and I am not sure whether I ought +not to write to mother and tell her all, before she +hears it from any one else." +</p> + +<p> +"Not without speaking to Fred first." +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, of course not, though I am sure Fred would +give his eyes to have her here. Just to think it is +only four days since we left home so jolly and in +such wild spirits, with the whole midsummer +holidays stretched out before us; and we thought we +were going to have no end of fun and jollification;—and +now here we are, breaking our hearts with +misery and dread, and only dead sick with the wish +to be home again. Who ever could have guessed +how it would all end?" +</p> + +<p> +"Maurice seems very unhappy too this morning," +said Kathleen, thoughtfully. +</p> + +<p> +"Yes; I cannot make him out at all. I wonder +what it was that set him so dead against Fred all +yesterday; and now he seems just as anxious to +make friends again with him. But hush! I hear +some one coming behind us. Look back—look back +and see who it can be, Kathleen." +</p> + +<p> +"It is Maurice." +</p> + +<p> +"Maurice!" +</p> + +<p> +"Yes; he is hurrying after us. Perhaps all has +been found out. Let us push on as hard as we can." +</p> + +<p> +"No," cried Harry; "it's awfully cowardly to try +to escape in that way. I will go back, for one." And +with a great effort over himself, Harry turned +round and came face to face with Maurice. +</p> + +<p> +Maurice was quite out of breath, he had walked +so quickly, and his face was anxious and pale. +</p> + +<p> +"Harry, I have been looking for you everywhere, +and I only discovered a moment ago where you had +gone. I wanted to say something to you." +</p> + +<p> +"What?" asked Harry, with an awkward attempt +to appear free from embarrassment. +</p> + +<p> +"I was upstairs with Fred and saw the great cut +behind his ear, and I'm in such an awful state at the +thought that I did it, and the brutal way I behaved +to him yesterday. I want mother to allow me to +ride over to your home and tell your mother all +about it, for I shall be perfectly miserable until she +knows it." +</p> + +<p> +Harry and Kathleen involuntarily looked at each +other. The contrast between Fred's conduct and +Maurice's could not but force itself upon them, and +neither of them knew what to reply. +</p> + +<p> +"You see," continued Maurice, "I am so hasty +and reckless a fellow, I act almost without thinking; +and just because Alice told me she overheard you +two talking something about Fred the other day in +the coal vault where she was hiding from one of the +other girls for fun, I took it into my head Fred had +been behaving shabbily, and then afterwards I got +into a temper with him about the chess-men for no +earthly reason, and you know what a fool I made of +myself in the store-room afterwards; and now I am +well punished for it all. But I only wanted to ask +you whether you would have any objection to my +riding over to your place and perhaps bringing aunt +back with me; for I am afraid Fred is more hurt +than any of us know." +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, do bring mother back with you, if you can," +cried Harry, eagerly; "there would be some chance +of things coming right if she were here." +</p> + +<p> +"Then you have no objection?" +</p> + +<p> +"Objection!—if you only knew how Kathleen +and I were longing to have her here! She is so +awfully kind, and always knows what is best to be +done;" and the tears rose heavily in Harry's eyes as +he spoke. +</p> + +<p> +At these words Maurice coloured deeply, and a +look of pain passed over all his face. "I am afraid +I have proved but a bad host," he said bitterly; +"but all I can say is, both mother and I, and all of +us, wished more than I can tell to make you all +happy; and only for my unhappy temper—;" here +Maurice stopped and turned away. +</p> + +<p> +"Maurice, you must not say such things," cried +Harry, interrupting his cousin and catching him by +the coat-sleeve. "You don't understand one single +thing that has happened. If you did, you would see +how different everything is from what you think." +</p> + +<p> +"I understand quite enough," said Maurice, +hoarsely. +</p> + +<p> +"No, no, you don't, because you could not; heaps +and lots of things have happened since we came here; +of which you know nothing at all;—haven't there, +Kathleen?" +</p> + +<p> +"Yes," replied Kathleen, almost inaudibly, while +she continued feverishly tearing off some leaves from +a young sycamore branch which she held in her +hand. +</p> + +<p> +"What things?" asked Maurice incredulously. +</p> + +<p> +"Don't ask me to tell you just now; wait till I +go in and see Fred, and then I will tell you +everything—at least if he allows me. I will go in this +moment and ask him, for I would like you to know +everything before you see poor mother;" and Harry, +without venturing to add another word, pushed past +his cousin towards the Hall, while Kathleen followed +closely in his wake. +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap16"></a></p> + +<h2> +CHAPTER XVI. +<br><br> +FIGHTING WITH SELF. +</h2> + +<p> +Meantime Fred had remained upstairs in +a state of as utter restlessness as it was +possible for any boy to be in. Fear, +remorse, shame, pride, and even +contrition, were at work within him, each +fighting their own fight, and loudly asserting +their right to a first place in his mind: but +fear had the strongest position, for at any moment, +Fred knew, the door might open, and his accusers +rush in; and then what would be left for him but +disgrace and punishment. +</p> + +<p> +A thousand times he turned his glances towards +the doorway, while his heart beat fast and furiously, +thinking each step in the passage was the footfall +of an enemy or the advent of a foe; and when at +length he did hear his aunt's voice in the passage +outside, and knew that she was coming to see him, +he feigned sleep, and that so successfully, that she +withdrew from the room with noiseless steps, and +closed the door softly behind her. +</p> + +<p> +"If I had only had the courage to tell Maurice +when he brought me up my breakfast, I should be +all right now, or rather the worst would have been +over; but I am the veriest coward living," he +murmured to himself reproachfully, as he tossed to and +fro on his bed, his head aching painfully at every +turn. "Why do not Harry and Kathleen come up +to see me; they must know what misery I am in. +I wonder whether Harry would tell it all for me? I +will ask him when he comes in." And Fred planned +feverishly the words of confession which he would +dictate to his younger brother, so as to palliate his +acts, and make them appear as little criminal as possible. +</p> + +<p> +But again better thoughts would have temporary +sway, and then the voice of conscience would whisper +painfully into his ear, "You ought to make this +confession of your guilt yourself, with your own +lips and in your own words, and not lay the burden +of your fault on the shoulders of another." And +then he would writhe and groan under the pressure +of this warning voice; for he knew well whose voice +it was that pleaded with him thus, and that its +words were the words of truth, and ought not to be +thrust aside. +</p> + +<p> +While he thus argued, and murmured, and fretted, +and feared, the door opened again, and Harry, +followed by Kathleen, came in, with heated face, and +anxious, eager manner. +</p> + +<p> +"Well," cried Fred, starting up in his bed angrily, +"so you have come in at last, have you! A precious +long time you have left me by myself, I must +say! But I suppose it was because you knew I was +so happy and comfortable up here that you stayed away so long." +</p> + +<p> +"No indeed; we were walking outside, and thinking +what was best to be done; and afterwards we +met Maurice, who was in an awful state about you, +and said all sorts of things. And now we have +come up to see if we could persuade you, Fred, to +tell him all; for it's not right that he should think +it was his fault, and blame himself so awfully." +</p> + +<p> +"Why, what did he say?" asked Fred with an +air of sullenness, which even Harry could see was +only put on to cover his painful anxiety and fear. +</p> + +<p> +"He said how it was all his bad temper, and the +way he treated you, which had made everything go +wrong; and that he had wished, and so had they +all, to make us so awfully happy, and now he had +only made us miserable." +</p> + +<p> +"And what did you say?" asked Fred with increasing uneasiness. +</p> + +<p> +"I am sure I don't know what I said." +</p> + +<p> +"Did you tell him anything,—did you even give +him a hint?" +</p> + +<p> +"No; I only said I would go up and see you, +and ask you to explain all to him, for there were +heaps of things he did not know." +</p> + +<p> +"You did?" gasped Fred. +</p> + +<p> +"Yes." +</p> + +<p> +"Then you have actually pinned me into confessing." +</p> + +<p> +"No, not pinned you; for I do not think Maurice +believes there is anything to confess. But surely, +Fred, you would not like to be such an utter coward; +and, besides, in a little while he must find it all +out." +</p> + +<p> +"I'd give all the world not to be such an utter +coward, as you call me!" cried Fred, dropping the +mask completely from his feelings; "but the fact is, +I feel as if I could never make up my mind to confess. +I have been fighting with myself all this time +up here, and I'm not a bit nearer doing what's right +than I was." +</p> + +<p> +"Don't fight with yourself any longer, but do it." +</p> + +<p> +"How should I begin to tell him, Harry?" asked +Fred almost piteously. +</p> + +<p class="capcenter"> +<a id="img-190"></a> +<br> +<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-190.jpg" alt=""Fred, here is mother come to see you.""> +<br> +"Fred, here is mother come to see you." +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, don't plan beforehand what you'll say. +When once you have started off, you'll see the right +words will come into your head. I know they will," +said Harry earnestly. +</p> + +<p> +"How can you know? You have never been in +such an awful fix as this." +</p> + +<p> +"I have been in other fixes though, and I have got +out of them—I mean I have been helped to get out +of them." +</p> + +<p> +"Helped?" questioned Fred, opening his eyes +wide, and staring at his brother in amazement +"Who helped you? Was it mother?" +</p> + +<p> +Harry shook his head, and remained silent, though +sudden nervous blushes covered his face. +</p> + +<p> +"What does he mean?" cried Fred, looking at +Kathleen for information, whose corresponding +nervousness showed she was a sharer in Harry's +confusion. +</p> + +<p> +"I think he means that God helped him," she +said in a very low voice, while she tugged at the +knots on Fred's counterpane with restless, trembling +fingers. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, was that it! I could not think what he +meant," said Fred, in a strange, altered voice, while +he turned his head away, and looked vacantly out +through the open window where the beech-trees +were glistening in the sunshine, with their branches +full of song. "I am such an awfully queer kind +of a fellow, I never think of these kind of things;" +and presently, in the same altered voice, he added, +"and that's, I suppose, why I am always getting +into these scrapes." +</p> + +<p> +"Nonsense!" cried Harry, with a rising lump in +his throat. +</p> + +<p> +"You say 'Nonsense,' but you know all the +same it is perfectly true. Mother always said so +when we were at home. Oh, what will poor mother +say when she hears it all!" And Fred rocked +himself to and fro in the bed. +</p> + +<p> +"If it were only for her sake, you ought to try +to be brave," said Harry sadly. +</p> + +<p> +"If I do speak, to whom ought I to say it,—to +Maurice, or to aunt?" asked Fred after a pause, and +with lips which were blanching already at the +thought of the dreaded confession. +</p> + +<p> +"To either. I don't think it matters to which." +</p> + +<p> +"If I had only not smashed that precious chess-box, +it would not seem half so bad a thing to have to +confess;—and they will think, perhaps, I broke it on +purpose, out of spite." +</p> + +<p> +"Oh no; I'm sure they won't think that. But +listen! I am almost certain I hear Maurice coming +up the stairs. Shall we stay with you, Fred, while +you are telling him, or not?" +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, yes, stay; or—no; I think I should get +on better without you." +</p> + +<p> +"But you'll tell him all, won't you—about the +bow and everything?" +</p> + +<p> +"I could not." +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, yes, you must. You will be twice as +happy, once it is all off your mind; and don't +forget—" But here Harry and his sister had to make a +sudden rush towards the door of Kathleen's room, +as Maurice's voice was heard outside in the passage, +demanding, in a somewhat excited voice, to be +admitted. +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap17"></a></p> + +<h2> +CHAPTER XVII. +<br><br> +THE MISCHIEF DISCOVERED. +</h2> + +<p> +"Fred!" cried Maurice, in a voice of great +excitement, as he hastily pushed open the +door of his cousin's room, and walked +in—"Fred! what do you think has happened?" +</p> + +<p> +Fred had just lain down in the shade of the +bed-curtains, with the express desire of concealing the +workings of his face while he made his dreaded +confession; but now, in the unexpected agony of the +moment, he sat hastily up, and looked full at Maurice, +whose blanched cheeks and agitated manner showed +that some great thing had just occurred to upset him. +</p> + +<p> +"What is it, Maurice?" he inquired in a tone of +no affected concern, for his very heart was beating +into his mouth; "nothing bad, I hope." +</p> + +<p> +"Very bad, I am sorry to say; for there has been +a general destruction of all mother's most precious +things in the store-room downstairs." +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, what—how?" +</p> + +<p> +"Well, that's just what we can none of us exactly +make out; only when I went in just now with mother +to get out the Japanese theatre dodge, which mother +had given me leave to make a present of to you, as +I knew you were fond of mechanical inventions—" +</p> + +<p> +"Nonsense, Maurice; I could never have taken +it from you." +</p> + +<p> +"Why, then, we found, when we opened the door," +continued Maurice, heedless of Fred's interruption, +"everything in the most awful state of confusion +you can imagine. The theatre, which I was at the +moment in search of, was lying on the floor in the +most terrible state of smash—the lid of the case +broken right off, and all the little men and women +thrown pell-mell about the place." +</p> + +<p> +"My goodness, how dreadful!" responded Fred. +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, poor mother is in a sad way about it, for +father took such delight in seeing the little puppets +dancing, and thought it so ingenious; and besides +that, there was a lot more damage done, for the ladder +had fallen right across the room and smashed an +entire set of rare China plates and dishes in the +corner under the window, besides jam-pots to no end. +There was one good thing, however—" +</p> + +<p> +"What?" asked Fred, drawing a quick, uneasy +breath. +</p> + +<p> +But Maurice paused before he replied, for a sudden +consciousness had come over him that he was about +to touch on an unpleasant subject, and he coloured +painfully, and hesitated in momentary embarrassment. +</p> + +<p> +"What?" asked Fred again, in an eager, hungry +voice. It was something to know that there was +even one good thing in so utterly bad a transaction. +</p> + +<p> +"Mother's precious chess-box was not broken." +</p> + +<p> +"Thank God!" cried Fred earnestly. +</p> + +<p> +Maurice looked at him for a moment in surprise, +and then went on. "You see, yesterday evening I +was so thoroughly ashamed of myself for my conduct +to you, and the way I had knocked you about in +the afternoon, that I asked mother's leave to take +the box out of the store-room and have a game with +you before tea." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, and what did she say?" +</p> + +<p> +"She was awfully kind, and told me I might +have them certainly, if I promised to take great care +of them; but though I tried my best to get hold of +you afterwards, I could not succeed. You remember +when I met you in the shrubbery walk, don't you?" +</p> + +<p> +"I do," sighed Fred hopelessly. "I was a brute, +that was all." +</p> + +<p> +"Now, Fred, if you say any of these kind of +things again, I'll go out of the room; for I was the +one who was utterly in the wrong from beginning +to end,—even mother says I was." +</p> + +<p> +"How so?" asked Fred. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh nothing; that's to say it was only that time +about the jam picking, and I—or rather she—she +thought just at first there had been something wrong +about the weighing of the cans; and, besides, the +girls overheard something or other which puzzled us +a bit, and which, I dare say, meant nothing; and I +acted, as I always do, in a headlong way. However," +continued Maurice, noticing the distress in his +cousin's face; "however—what was I saying, Fred?" +</p> + +<p> +"I—I don't remember." +</p> + +<p> +"Oh yes, now I have it; it was about the chess-men. +Well, as I was telling you, I asked mother's +leave to take the chess-men out of the store-room to +have a game with you; and then afterwards, when I +could not catch hold of you, I put them by in +mother's room, so as we might have a game this +morning; which, as it turns out now, was a great +blessing, else they would have been destroyed to a +certainty, for they stood exactly on the spot where +the Japanese theatre was knocked down." +</p> + +<p> +"A blessing, indeed," groaned Fred, whose +confession seemed every moment more and more +impossible and imprudent. "But I don't understand, +Maurice, how the Japanese box got upon the same +shelf as the chess-men; it was not there yesterday +surely. And is the word 'Fragile' printed on it also?" +</p> + +<p> +"Of course it is. And as to its being on the shelf +why, I put it there myself last night: for I was afraid, +what with the weight of all the new jam-pots and +crowds of other dodge-my-eyes upon the shelf where +it stood, it might come to grief, and so, as I thought, +I gave it a much safer berth; but you can see for +yourself I am always an unlucky dog. Though +how it all happened is the marvel, for not a living +soul could have got into the place: the door was +locked; and the window, goodness knows, is +sufficiently well barred to keep out a host of robbers. +The only thing mother and I can think is, that +when the housekeeper went in late last night to lock +up some honey, which, by-the-by, was upset and +smeared about the whole place—" Here Maurice +paused for a moment, as if some sudden thought or +suggestion had passed like lightning through his +brain, and in the pause Fred's cheeks darkened to +almost a purple colour, so vividly did the blush of +guilt deepen on his face. +</p> + +<p> +Maurice could not but look at him and wonder, +and in doing so he for a moment lost the thread of +his recital, and once again he had to apply to his +cousin for aid. "What was I saying, Fred?" +</p> + +<p> +"About the honey." +</p> + +<p> +"Oh ay, about the honey. Mother thinks that +when the housekeeper carried it in at night, the +kitchen cat must have darted in after her; for there +are rats and mice in there, I believe. You heard +them yesterday, didn't you?" +</p> + +<p> +"I—I don't remember." +</p> + +<p> +"That time I said you must have cheese-parings +in your pocket." +</p> + +<p> +"I was not listening much to what you were +saying just then," replied Fred hoarsely. +</p> + +<p> +"I am not surprised at that; I only wonder you +took it half so well. But the point is, how, if it were +the cat that did it, she managed to get out again +without either mother or my seeing her; for we both +went in at the same time, and she could scarcely +have slipped through our feet without one or other +of us noticing it. What do you think, Fred?" +</p> + +<p> +"I—I really don't know what to think." +</p> + +<p> +"Mother is certain, at least as nearly certain as +one can be in such a matter, that it was the cat; so +I suppose she must be right: but it's a rum affair +from beginning to end, ain't it now?" +</p> + +<p> +"I suppose she must," murmured Fred, scarcely +conscious of what he was saying, for he was undergoing +at that moment the most furious assault of a new +and unexpected temptation; a temptation which he +could not have foreseen, having hitherto deemed it +impossible that any valid excuse could be discovered +which would screen him from the consequences of hie +but now his aunt had laid the blame of all the +sin,—mischief on shoulders which could bear no corresponding +punishment, and why, why need he thrust himself +forward as the centre point of guilt and shame? +</p> + +<p> +"I am afraid I am worrying you with my talk. +I was forgetting about your headache," said Maurice +apologetically, as he noticed Fred's absent manner. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, not in the least; I was only thinking." +</p> + +<p> +"Thinking of what?" +</p> + +<p> +"Not thinking, exactly; only wondering." +</p> + +<p> +"Wondering! what do you mean?" +</p> + +<p> +"I—I don't exactly know what I mean, except +if it were the cat, then,—then of course the cat +could not have done it. +</p> + +<p> +"My dear fellow, what do you mean?" and Maurice +looked gravely into his cousin's face, fearing that +perhaps the sharp blow on the side of his head had +done him some serious injury. +</p> + +<p> +The sudden cloud on his cousin's brow, and the +intent anxious gaze fixed on his own face, filled Fred +with alarm; and under Maurice's searching scrutiny +all the blood rushed back upon Fred's heart, leaving +him ashy white and trembling. +</p> + +<p> +"Fred," cried Maurice, leaning forward excitedly, +"now I am certain—" +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, yes, it is quite true; only don't, don't stare +at me in that awful way. I—I could not help it." +</p> + +<p> +"You could not help what?" +</p> + +<p> +"Help it! I didn't say that, did I? I meant +of course that—that you—you drove me to it." +</p> + +<p> +"Drove you," echoed Maurice, becoming every +moment more terrified and bewildered by his cousin's +manner, "how did I drive you? I don't know +what you are talking about, Fred." +</p> + +<p> +"Nonsense, it was you yourself who said it first, +and accused me of it." +</p> + +<p> +"Accused you of what?" +</p> + +<p> +"Everything. You knew quite well, when you +came up here, all about it; and you only wanted to +try and wring it out of me, by fair means or +foul." Here Fred, worn out by excitement and anxiety, +burst into a passionate fit of tears, and, leaning his +face forward, buried it completely in the counterpane +of his bed. When he looked up again a moment +afterwards, surprised at Maurice's silence, he found +his cousin gone and the room empty. +</p> + +<p> +"Ah, no wonder he has left me," cried Fred +bitterly; and then in his despair he clasped his +hands and lifted up his heart to God, asking +earnestly for the help he so sorely needed, and the +forgiveness he scarcely dared to crave. +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap18"></a></p> + +<h2> +CHAPTER XVIII. +<br><br> +A FULL CONFESSION. +</h2> + +<p> +He had scarcely unfolded his hands and laid +his poor aching head back on the pillow +when the door was pushed open again, +and Maurice, followed by his mother, +hastily re-entered the room. +</p> + +<p> +"Fred, here is mother come to see you;" and +Maurice's voice sounded strangely reassuring and +kind, considering the confession which he had just +heard, and which only a moment before had driven +him from the room. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, Fred, my boy," said Lady Brinsley drawing +quite close to his bed, and laying her hand +gently on his arm, "I am afraid you have been +exciting yourself too much, and making yourself +quite ill. You ought to lie still after such a severe +blow, and not speak at all." +</p> + +<p> +"It was I, mother, who roused him up. It was +entirely my fault, but I was so knocked on a heap +about the store-room business, I rushed up foolishly +to tell him, and to ask him what he thought about it." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, it was rather a pity to disturb him about +such a matter, especially as he could not possibly +make a guess about it." +</p> + +<p> +Fred listened in amazement. Was it possible +Maurice had not understood what he had said, and +must he make the dreaded confession again? He +looked piteously into his aunt's face, and turned his +face quickly towards the wall. +</p> + +<p> +"What is the matter, Fred dear? are you in pain?" +</p> + +<p> +"Yes," moaned Fred. +</p> + +<p> +"Is it your head that aches?" +</p> + +<p> +"No, no; I am miserable and wretched, and I told +Maurice all about it, and he—he goes on as if I had +said nothing." +</p> + +<p> +"Why, what did you tell him? for I am certain +if there is anything or any way Maurice can help +you, he will be only too glad to do it." +</p> + +<p> +"No, no, I don't want help; at least I do, awfully, +but—oh can't you understand what I mean?" +</p> + +<p> +Maurice glanced at his mother meaningly, and her +face grew more anxious as, stooping over the bed, +she said kindly, "Fred, dear, do not torment yourself +about fancies and worries which are only coming +into your head because you are ill and tired. Try +and go to sleep, and when you awake you will feel +quite refreshed and comfortable." +</p> + +<p> +"I cannot sleep, aunt, till I have told you all. +There is no use trying," cried Fred excitedly. +</p> + +<p> +"Told me what?" asked Lady Brinsley, inexpressibly +pained by the cruel distress visible on her +nephew's face. +</p> + +<p> +"That it was I who went into the store-room. I +told Maurice all about it before, and he only stared +at me, and then rushed out of the room." +</p> + +<p> +"You went into the store-room, Fred," cried both +his aunt and his cousin at the same moment; while +Lady Brinsley added almost in a whisper to her son, +"It is quite impossible,—he only fancies it." +</p> + +<p> +"No, no, it is no fancy. I went into it last +night. I got up on the ladder in the dark, and +then—then I saw a light coming round by the +passage-wall, and I—I fell somehow. I don't know +how it happened; and Harry and Kathleen lifted +me up and carried me outside into the other passage, +and then I came upstairs and went to bed, and +was—oh, so miserable, you can't think." +</p> + +<p> +"And what did you go into the store-room for?" +asked his aunt quietly, while with a glance she +checked the excited questions which she saw ready +to pour from her son's lips. +</p> + +<p> +"I—I wanted to get the chess-box. Maurice +dared me to touch it, and I was determined that I +would." +</p> + +<p> +"But how did you get in?" continued Lady +Brinsley in the same subdued voice. +</p> + +<p> +"By the small door in the panels." +</p> + +<p> +"But that was bolted on the inside also." +</p> + +<p> +"There is no second door is there, mother?" +asked Maurice, who could not restrain his curiosity +any longer. +</p> + +<p> +"There is," replied Fred hastily. "When you +knocked me down in the corner, I struck against the +bolt and bruised my shoulder, and that made me +look round, and I saw the second door and the +things that fastened it." +</p> + +<p> +"And you unbolted it then; was that it?" +</p> + +<p> +"No, no; I tied pieces of cord round the bolts +and drew the ends out by the hinges; but I—I +never meant to do all—all the terrible mischief +which I—I did do, or to break the theatre or +anything. I am so awfully sorry, aunt. I wish you +would let me go home to-night, I am so miserable." +</p> + +<p> +Fred pressed his hot fingers round his aunt's +hand, and looked up imploringly into her face. +</p> + +<p> +"It was all my fault," said Maurice humbly. "I +was the one who began the quarrel,—I—I: mother, +don't look at him so gravely; it was I who set the +whole mischief agoing, besides the horrid cut which +I gave him behind his ear." +</p> + +<p> +"No, you have nothing to say to that; it was +when I fell from the ladder." +</p> + +<p> +"I thought you told me that I had done it." +</p> + +<p> +"No; at least you took up what I said wrongly, +and I—I had not the courage to explain." +</p> + +<p> +"And what made you tell me all about it now, +Fred?" asked his aunt in a sad but not unkind voice. +</p> + +<p> +"I don't know. I thought, and Harry said I was +a coward,—or no, he said I should be a coward to +hide it; and besides, he told me it was awfully +wrong, and that—that—but then Harry is quite +different to me; he never does sneaky things, and I +am always doing them." +</p> + +<p> +"Harry is a noble boy," said Lady Brinsley +warmly. "I have noticed his honesty of character +ever since he came into the house." +</p> + +<p> +"Yes," cried Fred enthusiastically, "he is a +regular brick. Mother always said she could trust +him as well as her own self;" and Fred's cheeks as +he mentioned his mother's name burned with a sudden +access of shame and misery, and the tears which +he had held back till now rushed into his eyes. +</p> + +<p> +"I am going to drive over to your own home this +afternoon; do you wish me to tell your mother all?" +</p> + +<p class="capcenter"> +<a id="img-206"></a> +<br> +<img class="imgcenter" src="images/img-206.jpg" alt="Supper was laid in the bright parlour."> +<br> +Supper was laid in the bright parlour. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh yes, yes, do. Tell her everything, please; +and oh! ask her to come and take me home. I +could never bear to stay on here after all that has +happened." +</p> + +<p> +"Nonsense, Fred; of course you will stay here. +If you go home I shall be perfectly wretched, for +I—I am just as bad as you, and worse;" and even +Maurice's eyes clouded with tears at the misery +which had arisen so unexpectedly to darken his +happy holidays. +</p> + +<p> +"I think we must be guided by what Fred and +his mother wish," said Lady Brinsley kindly. "I +shall be truly grieved if our pleasant party is broken +up, and especially as the quarrel arose out of +Maurice's hasty temper." +</p> + +<p> +"No, that is quite untrue, for—for—" Fred +paused, while a fresh access of misery and shame +seemed to overwhelm him. "For, for,—oh, aunt, I +had forgotten to tell you all. I did put the stones in +the can; and besides, I—I filled my can out of +Harry's; and when he told me to put back the bow, +I—I found your note on the pincushion, and I was +ashamed, and then I kept it." +</p> + +<p> +Lady Brinsley could not but look and feel sorrowful +at the confession of so much sin and the sight of +the misery it was causing her nephew. +</p> + +<p> +"I am sure you will be happier by-and-by; Fred, +for having made up your mind to tell me all," she +said in a low voice full of undisguised emotion; "and +I am only very, very sorry that you had not the +courage at first to tell the whole truth, as it would +have averted all this trouble and saved both you +and me the great pain which we are each of us +suffering. If, at the very beginning of all this trouble, +you had asked God's help, He would have given you +the strength to make the necessary confession; and +the remembrance of His forgiveness and love would +have shielded you from the fresh snares into which +you have now fallen." +</p> + +<p> +"I wish I had," sobbed Fred. "I know I never, +never—" But here a knock at the bedroom door +interrupted what he would have said, and the footman +appeared in the entrance with a serious and deprecating +air carrying some dark clothes in his hand. +</p> + +<p> +"I came to tell Master Malcomson, my lady," he +observed, bowing to Lady Brinsley, "that I have tried +in vain to clean his evening suit of clothes. When +I took them down this morning to brush, I found +them all saturated with honey; and though I have +done all in my power, I cannot make them fit to wear." +</p> + +<p> +"Thank you, John; you may put them away on +the table over there," said Lady Brinsley quietly, +ignoring the cause of the disaster. "Master Fred is +not well at present, and will not require to wear his +evening suit for some little time." +</p> + +<p> +The footman laid the clothes on the table without +another word, and left the room silently. He knew +as well as Fred did how it had all occurred: for the +servants, when they heard of the catastrophe in the +store-room and the broken dish of honey, had not +been long in putting two and two together; and +what with the sticky footprints leading right up to +Fred's door, and the fact of his remaining immured +up in his own room all the morning, they had come +to no foolish conclusion, that Fred had been at least +a partner in the mysterious midnight raid on the +store-room, and that the cat was in no way to blame. +</p> + +<p> +To Fred, too, it was a blessed relief to know that +he had made his confession before the guilt had been +literally brought home to his own door; and when +at length Lady Brinsley and her son sorrowfully left +the room, he lay back on his pillow and thanked +God with his whole heart that He had answered his +prayer and given him the strength necessary to +overcome his weakness and cowardice; and when +Maurice turned back from the door and whispered +hurriedly into his ear, "Fred, you'll forgive me, won't +you?" he only replied with a burst of sobs, "Yes, +yes; but oh! I want so badly to be forgiven +myself." And then turning suddenly round in the +bed, he covered his face with the clothes and was +silent. +</p> + +<p><br><br><br></p> + +<p><a id="chap19"></a></p> + +<h2> +CHAPTER XIX. +<br><br> +HOME, SWEET HOME! +</h2> + +<p> +That evening Mrs. Malcomson arrived at +Jubilee Hall. Her sister, Lady Brinsley, +had driven over in the waggonette for her; +and having first, by Fred's express desire, +told her everything which had occurred since her +son's arrival at the Hall, with a troubled and +sorrowful heart Mrs. Malcomson had taken leave of +her husband, promising to return on the following +day. +</p> + +<p> +Fred was asleep when his mother arrived, and he +continued to sleep on heavily for several hours. +When he did awake, the long summer evening had +slipped past, leaving only a gray twilight in his +room, while outside, in the still pale-green sky, a +crescent moon was shining softly. +</p> + +<p> +Fred sighed heavily on first awaking, and finding +himself alone in the large and now sombre bedroom; +and, as is often the ease, the awaking from an afternoon +sleep, instead of refreshing him, had flushed and +heated him; and his mind was no sooner aroused +and aware of the solitude and stillness of all about +him, than it became filled with dark and fanciful +apprehensions, to which he could give no definite +shape or form. +</p> + +<p> +One by one the guilty doings of the previous night +passed before his mind in a dreary procession of +horror. Once again the horny cockroaches seemed +clinging to his shoeless feet; and the cold gust of +wind, as he turned the lonely corners of the +passages, seemed to blow down his neck and shoulders. +Now the bolt creaked ominously in the secret door; +and the faint odour of honey, which still pervaded +the bedroom, became painfully overpowering and +oppressive to his senses. +</p> + +<p> +The suspense and horror of darkness which had +filled his mind in the store-room the night before, as +he waited the slow approach of daylight, seemed +lying on him now; and the shadows cast by the +rising moon on the furniture of his room gave them +grotesque and unfamiliar shapes. +</p> + +<p> +The grave eyes of his aunt, as she heard his +confession, seemed gazing at him still through the +gloomy air; so that he feared to turn his head +towards the spot where she had stood, lest he +should have to rehearse again the account of his +crimes, and to meet her loving but reproachful gaze. +</p> + +<p> +But all at once, with a great cry, he sat bolt +upright in his bed, and called out eagerly, "Mother, +mother! Yes, mother was to be here to-night! O +mother, dearest mother! have you not come to see +me and to help me?" +</p> + +<p> +Just then there was a rustle by the bedside, and +a startled voice which answered him out of the +darkness: "Fred, my darling boy, I am here beside you! +I thought you were asleep, or I would have spoken +before. Here, dearest, turn towards me." +</p> + +<p> +Poor Fred! he did turn in the direction of the +voice, and as he caught sight of the shadowy figure +seated close by his bedside, he flung his arms round +it, and with a sob, born of the purest pleasure and +the keenest pain, he laid his head on his mother's +shoulder, and wept out the burden of his sorrow and +care without a word; while in the security of her +presence the shadowy ghosts, which had haunted +the twilight, became comforting angels, and the +whole room seemed suddenly peopled with a happy +crowd of familiar faces; while the sprig of verbena +in his mother's dress brought back the sunny +home-garden, with its rose-covered walls and its shady +nooks. +</p> + +<p> +"O mother!" he sighed presently, "why did I +ever leave you? Nothing ever goes well with me +when you are away. I may go home with you +to-morrow, may I not?" +</p> + +<p> +"Certainly, if you wish it." +</p> + +<p> +"Wish it! I am longing to be in the dear old +place again." +</p> + +<p> +"It is only four days since you left it." +</p> + +<p> +"I know that, mother; and yet it seems like +four years." +</p> + +<p> +There was a long pause, Fred still leaning on his +mother's shoulder, so heavily that he could hear the +rapid beating of her heart. +</p> + +<p> +"Mother." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, Fred?" +</p> + +<p> +"Mother, you are terribly unhappy about me; I +know you are." +</p> + +<p> +No answer. +</p> + +<p> +"Mother, have I vexed you so awfully that you +will never be able to love me any more?" +</p> + +<p> +No answer. +</p> + +<p> +"Mother, will you not speak to me? Do, dearest +mother, do. What are you thinking of now, that +you will not answer me?" +</p> + +<p> +"I am thinking, Fred, and wishing—oh, so +earnestly!—that you would love me less, or rather +that you would love God more. It is because you +lean so entirely on me when I am near you, that +when I am absent you always fall into trouble, and +sorrow, and disgrace." +</p> + +<p> +"But could not I love God and you too, mother? +I am sure I could. I will try—-I will indeed—if +you will help me." +</p> + +<p> +"My help, dearest Fred, will be but a poor thing +to lean on, compared to the help you could gain +elsewhere, if you would only ask God for it, for +Christ's sake." +</p> + +<p> +"Will you ask Him for it for me, mother?" murmured +Fred in a husky whisper. "Do, mother, now +while you are here beside me;" and Fred, raising +his head from his mother's shoulder, took both her +hands in his, and drew her near him. +</p> + +<p> +Then Mrs. Malcomson knelt down on the floor by +her son's bedside, and prayed with all her heart for +the much-needed help; for the heart to be made +pure, for the good impressions to be made lasting, +and for the peace of God which passeth understanding +to be granted to both their souls, for Christ's +sake. And when she had finished praying, they +both sat hand in hand until the twilight had changed +into darkness, and the young moon had gone down +for the night. Then Harry and Kathleen came up +to bed; and after a long chat over home and home +doings, the party broke up, and Mrs. Malcomson +retired to her own room. +</p> + +<p> +The next day Fred told his aunt of his earnest +wish to return home, and received from her the +permission to do so. The history of his midnight raid +on the store-room had, despite all Lady Brinsley's +efforts, become the talk of the whole house; and +Fred could not appear among his playmates and +friends without running the risk of hearing much +that would have been both unpleasant and painful. +Nor could Harry bear to hear the hints and innuendoes +thrown out against his brother by the less +kind-hearted members of the company; so he and +Kathleen willingly agreed to give up the remainder of +their promised visit, and to share the banishment +which Fred had incurred by his deceitful and dishonest conduct. +</p> + +<p> +But there was no great air of banishment about +the sunny fields and grassy meadows of The Cedars, +as they turned in at its familiar gates, and drove up +through the sweet-scented lime avenue to the door +of their home. +</p> + +<p> +"Oh, the dear old house, how did we ever care +to leave it!" cried Harry, as he leaped with one +bound from the carriage to the steps of the portico, +and rushed inside for his father's sure greeting and +welcome. +</p> + +<p> +Fred's joy was even more intense, though it was +silent, at finding himself once more within the +shelter of his home; and he, too, wondered with a silent +pang of surprise and pain how he could ever have +felt such keen delight in leaving it as he had done +only a few mornings ago, when he had started in such +rampant spirits for Jubilee Hall. But the pleasure +of his return was damped not a little by the anticipation +of his father's displeasure, and the certainty +of the pain which he had caused him by his conduct +during his absence from home. +</p> + +<p> +"Mother, will you go in and speak to him first?" +pleaded Fred. But Mrs. Malcomson only answered +by a look, which recalled with a strange vividness +their conversation of the night before; and Fred, +gathering up all his courage, walked bravely into +the house to meet his father, and to receive with +humility the sorrowful reproaches which he could +not but feel he had most justly deserved. +</p> + +<p> +Mr. Malcomson, however, said very little on the +subject of his son's faults, as he preferred speaking +to him on such a grave matter in private to rebuking +him publicly before his younger brother and his +sister, and the meeting passed off with less pain on +both sides than could have been anticipated; for +Mr. Malcomson could not but discern, by the expression +of Fred's face, that he was returning in a softened +and penitent mood, instead of being sullen and +hardened. And Fred felt grateful for the consideration +shown him by his father, and was, consequently, +more desirous to prove by his conduct his contrition +for his faults. +</p> + +<p> +The supper was laid in the bright parlour, with +its pretty low window looking out upon the flowerbeds +and trim yew hedges, while the scent of the +roses, hanging across the trellis-work of the verandah, +came in delicious gusts across the table. +</p> + +<p> +There were strawberries and raspberries, and +cakes steaming from the oven, and jugs of rich +cream fresh from the dairy, arranged in tempting +order on the clean white cloth. And the room, +though it looked tiny after the lofty walls of Jubilee +Hall, had an air of cosy comfort, very cheering to +those who now sat down with grateful hearts to +partake of the evening meal. +</p> + +<p> +After supper Fred went out, leaning on his +mother's arm, through the verandah into the +garden, and walked with her up and down its +well-known paths, and round its box-edged flower-beds. +They neither of them said much, but they felt as +if some new bond of love had arisen between them, +stronger than any they had known before. It was +not until Fred was taking his last turn round by +the grotto and the little fern-grown well, that he +spoke out what had been the real burden of his +thoughts all the evening,— +</p> + +<p> +"Mother, there is no place, after all, so safe for a +young fellow as his own home. I mean, of course, +a really good home like ours." +</p> + +<p> +"What makes you say so, Fred?" +</p> + +<p> +"Because I feel it. I thought, when I was leaving +this place a few days ago, I should be ten times +as happy and jolly as I had ever been before—I +could then be my own master, and I could do just +as I liked: but instead of that, I never was so +miserable or wretched; and it was just the very +freedom which I had longed for so much which made +everything go on so badly." +</p> + +<p> +"I am sure you are quite right, Fred." +</p> + +<p> +"I know I am, mother; and I should never care +to go away from home again without you and +father. It is so awfully jolly to be with you both +once more." +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, ain't it just," cried Harry, who could no +longer resist his desire to join the two ramblers in +the garden. "Home is the most golliferous place +in the whole creation;—though, for all that, Aunt +Marian was awfully kind, and so was Maurice, and +every one." +</p> + +<p> +"Yes; it was not their fault that we were all so +very unhappy while we were there,—at least that I +was," said Fred humbly: "for, after all, it is not so +much the place that makes one jolly or miserable. +but the things that happen in the place; and not +having father and the dear old mother herself with +us, was the reason we all came to grief: besides,—besides, +of course, other things as well;" and Fred, +stooping down, picked up an unripe apple from the +ground, and shied it over the garden hedge; then, +in a somewhat hoarse whisper, he added, "We shall +do better perhaps by-and-by, with God's help; sha'n't +we, mother?" and he leaned his curly head against +her shoulder, and pressed her hand nearer to his side. +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, dearest Fred, with God's help we shall: and +meantime, I think, it has done us all no harm to +find out what a pleasant and safe place home is; and +to discover for ourselves that the discipline of +home-life, though sometimes irksome and apparently +vexatious in its rules and obligations, is, after all, one of +our greatest safeguards, protecting us against the +dangers and temptations of life, which, if unopposed, +would very quickly overcome us, and destroy all our +peace of mind and the innocent enjoyment of our +lives." +</p> + +<p> +"Which means," cried Harry, turning a somersault +over the low yew hedge beside the path, and +seizing his mother's disengaged arm in an enthusiastic +embrace,—"which means, in other words, words +composed expressly for the occasion by the great +poet Shakespeare, Milton, Mrs. Browning, or whoever +the individual may be or may have been,—that +</p> + +<p class="poem"> + ''Midst pleasures and palaces<br> + Though we may roam,<br> + Be it ever so humble,<br> + There's no place like home.'"<br> +</p> + +<p><br><br></p> + +<p class="t4"> +THE END. +</p> + +<p><br><br><br><br></p> + +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78214 ***</div> +</body> + +</html> + diff --git a/78214-h/images/img-014.jpg b/78214-h/images/img-014.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..44d544c --- /dev/null +++ b/78214-h/images/img-014.jpg diff --git a/78214-h/images/img-030.jpg b/78214-h/images/img-030.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0cd3faf --- /dev/null +++ b/78214-h/images/img-030.jpg diff --git a/78214-h/images/img-062.jpg b/78214-h/images/img-062.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ab0c1b9 --- /dev/null +++ b/78214-h/images/img-062.jpg diff --git a/78214-h/images/img-110.jpg b/78214-h/images/img-110.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..431c62d --- /dev/null +++ b/78214-h/images/img-110.jpg diff --git a/78214-h/images/img-142.jpg b/78214-h/images/img-142.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e6efb1c --- /dev/null +++ b/78214-h/images/img-142.jpg diff --git a/78214-h/images/img-190.jpg b/78214-h/images/img-190.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..44cbb23 --- /dev/null +++ b/78214-h/images/img-190.jpg diff --git a/78214-h/images/img-206.jpg b/78214-h/images/img-206.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7a15e8 --- /dev/null +++ b/78214-h/images/img-206.jpg diff --git a/78214-h/images/img-cover.jpg b/78214-h/images/img-cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ae65903 --- /dev/null +++ b/78214-h/images/img-cover.jpg diff --git a/78214-h/images/img-front.jpg b/78214-h/images/img-front.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1f5e292 --- /dev/null +++ b/78214-h/images/img-front.jpg |
