Part 59 (1/2)

”You surely did,” said Gibson tartly, and taking up the last of the sticky mess with a wet towel, ”and I suppose you'll do it again, or some of the rest of you boys will. It don't make much difference which,” and she moved off slowly.

”Gibson--Gibson,” said Mrs. Sterling gently.

”Oh, Gibson!” Joel flew after her and twitched her ap.r.o.n string.

”What is it?” She turned on him with asperity. ”I never will upset the mucilage bottle again, I won't, Gibson, really.”

”See that you don't,” replied Gibson, moving off with small faith in such promises.

And another promise had that very evening been made, just before the boys had gathered in Mrs. Sterling's handsome sitting-room.

Curtis Park had been through several spasms of distress over his attack on Jack, when, whirling around from the friendly att.i.tude he had chosen to a.s.sume, he had made a tirade on the grocer's son. Look at it whichever way he might, it didn't seem pleasant to view. And all the delight in the fire and the companions.h.i.+p of Mr. Dyce, of whom all the boys were exceedingly fond, was suddenly blotted out. He went home that night, and crept into bed, a most disconsolate boy.

”I was a beastly cad,” he fumed, kicking the covering down to the foot, and rolling out with the vain attempt to find some diversion. But that being impossible, he tumbled in again, with his unhappy thoughts.

And all through the following days, go whichever way he might, there was the fact to stare him in the face, that he, Curtis Park, who had hitherto prided himself upon his fine manners, had dropped from his height, to blackguard a boy, who, despite the fact of having been born the son of a little grocer on Common Street, had yet shown himself capable of the height.

”It's no use to deny it. I've been a bully and a cad,” he groaned, and wiped the perspiration from his face. ”What can I do!”

There was only one way, and he knew it, just as well at first as after all the fencing with himself that ensued the next few days. And at last on this very evening, he stopped fighting the idea, and marched up to what it suggested, like a man.

”See here, will you, though I shouldn't think you'd want to speak to me.”

It was a boy who said this to Jack standing on the step of the grocer's front door, next to the shop.

”Hey?” said Jack, in a great bewilderment. Was that really Curtis Park, whose rap on the door had announced him?

”Oh, it's no use to deny, Jack,” said Curtis, speaking rapidly and desperately, ”that I've been a cad--a mean, low cad--to talk to you in that way. It's done, and can't be helped now, only I want you to know what I think of it.”

Jack swallowed hard. He was going to put out his hand, but luckily thought in time, This is Curtis Park.

”I don't wonder you won't shake hands with me,” said Curtis, who saw the movement. ”I'm no end sorry; and perhaps sometime, Jack, why, you will.”

Jack's brown hand shot out so swiftly it nearly knocked the other boy from the doorstep.

”It's all right,” he said heartily.

”And you will never have another chance to call me a cad, I promise you,”

declared Curtis, wringing it. ”Come on now, Jack”--hooking him by the arm--”it's time to go to Mrs. Sterling's; this is the evening, you know.”

And the boys who had begun to think they had made a mistake in supposing that Curtis Park had taken a fancy to Jack Parish, were pushed back into their first conviction by seeing them come into the meeting of the Comfort committee arm in arm.

XXVII

A PIECE OF GOOD NEWS

Polly Pepper ran down the steps of Miss Taylor's house, and set off at a lively pace on the pavement. Presently she came to an abrupt stop. ”Oh, how could I forget, Mamsie wouldn't like me to run in the street,” she thought remorsefully. And this took away some of the glad little thrills running over her.

When she got to Mrs. c.u.mmings' very select boarding-house on the avenue, there was Miss Rhys at the window of her room, looking up from her embroidery. When she saw Polly Pepper, she smiled.