Chapter XIII. Jack Has a Mystery

le,andnoamountofmarmaladesweetenedorsoftenedthatreproachfullook.Jackdefiantlycrunchedhistoast,withoccasionalslashesatthebutter,asifhemustventthepent-upemotionswhichhalfdistractedhim.Ofcourse,theirmothersawthatsomethingwasamiss,butdidnotalludetoit,hopingthatthecloudwouldblowoverassomanydidifleftalone.Butthisonedidnot,andwhenbothrefusedcake,thissuresignofunusualperturbationmadeheranxioustoknowthecause.Assoonasteawasover,Jackretiredwithgloomydignitytohisownroom,andFrank,castingawaythepaperhehadbeenpretendingtoread,burstoutwiththewholestory.Mrs.Minotwasasmuchsurprisedashe,butnotangry,because,likemostmothers,shewassurethathersonscouldnotdoanythingverybad. “Iwillspeaktohimmyboywon'trefusetogivemesomeexplanation,”shesaid,whenFrankhadfreedhismindwithasmuchwarmthasifJackhadbrokenallthetencommandments. “Hewill.Youoftencallmeobstinate,butheisaspig-headedasamuleJoeonlyknowswhathesaw,oldtell-tale!andJerryhaslefttown,orI'dhaveitoutofhim.MakeJackownup,whetherhecanornot.Littledonkey!”stormedFrank,whohatedrowdiesandcouldnotforgivehisbrotherforbeingseenwithone. “Mydear,allboysdofoolishthingssometimes,eventhewisestandbestbehaved,sodon'tbehardonthepoorchild.Hehasgotintotrouble,I'venodoubt,butitcannotbeverybad,andheearnedthemoneytopayforhisprank,whateveritwas.” Mrs.Minotlefttheroomasshespoke,andFrankcooleddownasifherwordshadbeenashower-bath,forherememberedhisowncostlyescapade,andhowkindlybothhismotherandJackhadstoodbyhimonthattryingoccasion.So,feelingratherremorseful,hewentofftotalkitoverwithGus,leavingJillinafeverofcuriosity,forMerryandMollyhaddroppedinontheirwayhometobreaktheblowtoher,andFrankdeclinedtodiscussitwithher,aftermildlystatingthatJackwas“aninny,”inhisopinion. “Well,Iknowonething,”saidJillconfidentiallytoSnow-ball,whentheywereleftalonetogether,“ifeveryoneelseisscoldinghimIwon'tsayaword.It'ssomeantocrowoverpeoplewhentheyaredown,andI'msurehehasn'tdoneanythingtobeashamedof,thoughhewon'ttell.” Snow-ballseemedtoagreetothis,forhewentandsatdownbyJack'sslipperswaitingforhimonthehearth,andJillthoughtthataverytouchingproofofaffectionatefidelitytothelittlemasterwhoruledthemboth. Whenhecame,itwasevidentthathehadfoundithardertorefusehismotherthanalltherest.Butshetrustedhiminspiteofappearances,andthatwassuchacomfort!ForpoorJack'sheartwasveryfull,andhelongedtotellthewholestory,buthewouldnotbreakhispromise,andsokeptsilencebravely.Jillaskednoquestions,affectingtobeanxiousforthegamestheyalwaysplayedtogetherintheevening,butwhiletheyplayed,thoughthelipsweresealed,thebrighteyessaidasplainlyaswords,“Itrustyou,”andJackwasverygrateful. Itwaswellhehadsomethingtocheerhimupathome,forhegotlittlepeaceatschool.HeborethegravelooksofMr.Actonmeekly,tooktheboys'jokesgood-naturedly,andwithstoodtheartfulteasingofthegirlswithpatientsilence.Butitwasveryhardforthesocial,affectionatefellowtobearthegeneraldistrust,forhehadbeensuchafavoritehefeltthechangekeenly. Butthethingthattriedhimmostwastheknowledgethathisreportwouldnotbewhatitusuallywas.Itwasalwaysahappymomentwhenheshowedittohismother,andsawhereyebrightenasitfellonthe99or100,forshecaredmoreforgoodbehaviorthanforperfectlessons.Mr.ActononcesaidthatFrankMinot'smoralinfluenceintheschoolwasunusual,andJackneverforgotherprideanddelightasshetoldthemwhatFrankhimselfhadnotknowntillthen.ItwasJack'sambitiontohavethesamesaidofhim,forhewasnotmuchofascholar,andhehadtriedhardsincehewentbacktoschooltogetgoodrecordsinthatrespectatleast.Nowherewasadreadfuldownfall,tardymarks,badcompany,brokenrules,andsomethingtoowrongtotell,apparently. “Well,Ideserveagoodreport,andthat'sacomfort,thoughnobodybelievesit,”hesaidtohimself,tryingtokeepuphisspirits,astheslowweekwentby,andnowordfromhimhadclearedupthemystery.