Chapter XIII. Jack Has a Mystery

hoolatthisconfession,forJerrywasoneofthewildfellowstheboysallshunned,andtohaveanydealingswithhimwasconsideredaverydisgracefulthing. “Didyouplay?” “No,sir.Ican't.” “Drinkbeer?” “IbelongtotheLodge”andJackstoodaserectasanylittlesoldierwhoevermarchedunderatemperancebanner,andfoughtforthecausenonearetooyoungnortoooldtohelpalong. “Iwassureofthat.Thenwhattookyouthere,myboy?” ThequestionwassokindlyputthatJackforgothimselfaninstant,andblurtedout,— “Ionlywenttopayhimsomemoney,sir.” “Ah,howmuch?” “Twoseventy-five,”mutteredJack,asredasacherryatnotbeingabletokeepasecretbetter. “ToomuchforaladlikeyoutoowesuchafellowasJerry.Howcameit?”AndMr.Actonlookeddisturbed. Jackopenedhislipstospeak,butshutthemagain,andstoodlookingdownwithalittlequiveraboutthemouththatshowedhowmuchitcosthimtobesilent. “DoesanyonebesideJerryknowofthis?” “Oneotherfellow,”afterapause. “Yes,Iunderstand”andMr.Acton'seyeglancedatJoewithalookthatseemedtosay,“Iwishhe'dheldhistongue.” AqueersmileflittedoverJack'sface,forJoewasnotthe“otherfellow,”andknewverylittleaboutit,exceptingwhathehadseenwhenhewassentonanerrandbyMr.ActononFriday. “Iwishyouwouldexplainthematter,John,forIamsureitisbetterthanitseems,anditwouldbeveryhardtopunishyouwhenyoudon'tdeserveit.” “ButIdodeserveitI'vebrokentherule,andIoughttobepunished,”saidJack,asifagoodwhippingwouldbeeasiertobearthanthispubliccross-examination. “Andyoucan'texplain,orevensayyouaresorryorashamed?”askedMr.Acton,hopingtosurpriseanotherfactoutoftheboy. “No,sirIcan'tI'mnotashamedI'mnotsorry,andI'ddoitagainto-morrowifIhadto,”criedJack,losingpatience,andlookingasifhewouldnotbearmuchmore. Agroanfromtheboysgreetedthisbare-faceddeclaration,andSusyquiteshiveredattheideaofhavingtakentwobitesoutoftheappleofsuchahardeneddesperado. “Thinkitovertillto-morrow,andperhapsyouwillchangeyourmind.Rememberthatthisisthelastweekofthemonth,andreportsaregivenoutnextFriday,”saidMr.Acton,knowinghowmuchtheboypridedhimselfonalwayshavinggoodonestoshowhismother. PoorJackturnedscarletandbithislipstokeepthemstill,forhehadforgottenthiswhenheplungedintotheaffairwhichwaslikelytocosthimdear.Thenthecolorfadedaway,theboyishfacegrewsteady,andthehonesteyeslookedupathisteacherashesaidverylow,butallheardhim,theroomwassostill,— “Itisn'tasbadasitlooks,sir,butIcan'tsayanymore.NooneistoblamebutmeandIcouldn'thelpbreakingtherule,forJerrywasgoingaway,Ihadonlythattime,andI'dpromisedtopayup,soIdid.” Mr.Actonbelievedeverywordhesaid,andregrettedthattheyhadnotbeenabletohaveitoutprivately,buthe,too,mustkeephispromiseandpunishtheoffender,whoeverhewas. “Verywell,youwillloseyourrecessforaweek,andthismonth'sreportwillbethefirstoneinwhichbehaviordoesnotgetthehighestmark.YoumaygoandIwishitunderstoodthatMasterMinotisnottobetroubledwithquestionstillhechoosestosetthismatterright.” Thenthebellrang,thechildrentroopedout,Mr.Actonwentoffwithoutanotherword,andJackwasleftalonetoputuphisbooksandhideafewtearsthatwouldcomebecauseFrankturnedhiseyesawayfromtheimploringlookcastuponhimastheculpritcamedownfromtheplatform,adisgracedboy. Elderbrothersareapttobealittlehardonyoungerones,soitisnotsurprisingthatFrank,whowasaneminentlyproperboy,wasmuchcutupwhenJackpubliclyconfessedtodealingswithJerry,leavingittobesupposedthattheworsthalfofthestoryremaineduntold.Hefeltithisduty,therefore,tocollarpoorJackwhenhecameout,andtalktohimallthewayhome,likeajudgebentongettingatthetruthbymainforce.Akindwordwouldhavebeenverycomforting,butthescoldingwastoomuchforJack'stemper,soheturneddoggedandwouldnotsayaword,thoughFrankthreatenednottospeaktohimforaweek. Attea-timebothboyswereverysilent,onelookinggrim,theotherexcited.Frankstaredsternlyathisbrotheracrossthetab