And Jill Finds it outJill worried about it more than he did, for she was a faithful littlefriend, and it was a great trial to have Jack even suspected of doinganything wrong. School is a child's world while he is there, and itssmall affairs are very important to him, so Jill felt that the onething to be done was to clear away the cloud about her dear boy,and restore him to public favor.
"Ed will be here Saturday night and maybe he will find out, forJack tells him everything. I do hate to have him hectored so, for Iknow he is, though he's too proud to complain," she said, onThursday evening, when Frank told her some joke played upon hisbrother that day.
"I let him alone, but I see that he isn't badgered too much. That'sall I can do. If Ed had only come home last Saturday it might havedone some good, but now it will be too late; for the reports aregiven out to-morrow, you know," answered Frank, feeling a littlejealous of Ed's influence over Jack, though his own would havebeen as great if he had been as gentle.
"Has Jerry come back?" asked Jill, who kept all her questions forFrank, because she seldom alluded to the tender subject when withJack.
"No, he's off for the summer. Got a place somewhere. Hope he'llstay there and let Bob alone.""Where is Bob now? I don't hear much about him lately," said Jill,who was constantly on the lookout for "the other fellow," since itwas not Joe.
"Oh, he went to Captain Skinner's the first of March, chores round,and goes to school up there. Captain is strict, and won't let Bobcome to town, except Sundays; but he don't mind it much, for helikes horses, has nice grub, and the Hill fellows are good chaps forhim to be with. So he's all right, if he only behaves.""How far is it to Captain Skinner's?" asked Jill suddenly, havinglistened, with her sharp eyes on Frank, as he tinkered away at hismodel, since he was forbidden all other indulgence in his belovedpastime.
"It's four miles to Hill District, but the Captain lives this side of theschool-house. About three from here, I should say.""How long would it take a boy to walk up there?" went on thequestioner, with a new idea in her head.
"Depends on how much of a walkist he is.""Suppose he was lame and it was sloshy, and he made a call andcame back. How long would that take?" asked Jill impatiently.
"Well, in that case, I should say two or three hours. But it'simpossible to tell exactly, unless you know how lame the fellowwas, and how long a call he made," said Frank, who liked to beaccurate.
"Jack couldn't do it in less, could he?""He used to run up that hilly road for a breather, and think nothingof it. It would be a long job for him now, poor little chap, for hisleg often troubles him, though he hates to own it."Jill lay back and laughed, a happy little laugh, as if she waspleased about something, and Frank looked over his shoulder toask questions in his turn.
"What are you laughing at?""Can't tell.""Why do you want to know about Hill District? Are you goingthere?""Wish I could! I'd soon have it out of him.""Who?""Never mind. Please push up my table. I must write a letter, and Iwant you to post it for me to-night, and never say a word till I giveyou leave.
"Oh, now you are going to have secrets and be mysterious, and getinto a mess, are you?" and Frank looked down at her with asuspicious air, though he was intensely curious to know what shewas about.
"Go away till I'm done. You will have to see the outside, but youcan't know the inside till the answer comes"; and propping herselfup, Jill wrote the following note, with some hesitation at thebeginning and end, for she did not know the gentleman she wasaddressing, except by sight, and it was rather awkward:
"Robert Walker"Dear Sir, I want to ask if Jack Minot came to see you last Fridayafternoon. He got into trouble being seen with Jerry Shannon. Hepaid him some money. Jack won't tell, and Mr. Acton talked tohim about it before all the school. We feel bad, because we thinkJack did not do wrong. I don't know as you have anything to dowith it, but I thought I'd ask. Please answer quick. Respectfullyyours,Jane Pecq"To make sure that her despatch was not tampered with, Jill put agreat splash of red sealing-wax on it, which gave it a very officiallook, and much impressed Bob when he received it.
"There! Go and post it, and don't let anyone see or know about it,"she said, handing it over to Frank, who left his work with unusualalacrity to do her errand. When his eye fell on the address, helaughed, and said in a teasing way,"Are you and Bob such good friends that you correspond? Whatwill Jack say?""Don't know, and don't care! Be good, now, and let's have a littlesecret as well as other folks. I'll tell you all about it when heanswers," said Jill in her most coaxing tone.
"Suppose he doesn't?""Then I shall send you up to see him. I must know something, andI want to do it myself, if I can.""Look here; what are you after? I do believe you think----" Frankgot no farther, for Jill gave a little scream, and stopped him bycrying eagerly, "Don't say it out loud! I really do believe it may be,and I'm going to find out.""What made you think of him?" and Frank looked thoughtfully atthe letter, as if turning carefully over in his mind the idea that Jill'squick wits had jumped at.
"Come here and I'll tell you."Holding him by one button, she whispered something in his earthat made him exclaim, with a look at the rug,"No! did he? I declare I shouldn't wonder! It would be just like thedear old blunder-head.""I never thought of it till you told me where Bob was, and then itall sort of burst upon me in one minute!" cried Jill, waving herarms about to express the intellectual explosion which had thrownlight upon the mystery, like sky-rockets in a dark night.
"You are as bright as a button. No time to lose; I'm off"; and off hewas, splashing through the mud to post the letter, on the back ofwhich he added, to make the thing sure, "Hurry up.
F. M."Both felt rather guilty next day, but enjoyed themselves very muchnevertheless, and kept chuckling over the mine they were makingunder Jack's unconscious feet. They hardly expected an answer atnoon, as the Hill people were not very eager for their mail, but atnight Jill was sure of a letter, and to her great delight it came. Jackbrought it himself, which added to the fun, and while she eagerlyread it he sat calmly poring over the latest number of his ownprivate and particular "Youth's Companion."Bob was not a "complete letter-writer" by any means, and withgreat labor and much ink had produced the following brief buthighly satisfactory epistle. Not knowing how to address his faircorrespondent he let it alone, and went at once to the point in thefrankest possible way:
"Jack did come up Friday. Sorry he got into a mess. It was realkind of him, and I shall pay him back soon. Jack paid Jerry for meand I made him promise not to tell. Jerry said he'd come here andmake a row if I didn't cash up. I was afraid I'd lose the place if hedid, for the Capt. is awful strict. If Jack don't tell now, I will. I ain'tmean. Glad you wrote.
R. O. W.""Hurrah!" cried Jill, waving the letter over her head in greattriumph. "Call everybody and read it out," she added, as Franksnatched it, and ran for his mother, seeing at a glance that the newswas good. Jill was so afraid she should tell before the others camethat she burst out singing "Pretty Bobby Shafto" at the top of hervoice, to Jack's great disgust, for he considered the song verypersonal, as he wa.s rather fond of "combing down his yellowhair," and Jill often plagued him by singing it when he came inwith the golden quiris very smooth and nice to hide the scar on hisforehead.
In about five minutes the door flew open and in came Mamma,making straight for bewildered Jack, who thought the family hadgone crazy when his parent caught him in her arms, sayingtenderly,"My good, generous boy! I knew he was right all the time!" whileFrank worked his hand up and down like a pump-handle,exclaiming heartily,"You're a trump, sir, and I'm proud of you!" Jill meantime callingout, in wild delight,"I told you so! I told you so! I did find out; ha, ha, I did!""Come, I say! What's the matter? I'm all right. Don't squeeze thebreath out of me, please," expostulated Jack, looking so startledand innocent, as he struggled feebly, that they all laughed, and thisplaintive protest caused him to be released. But the nextproceeding did not enlighten him much, for Frank kept waving avery inky paper before him and ordering him to read it, whileMamma made a charge at Jill, as if it was absolutely necessary tohug somebody.
"Hullo!" said Jack, when he got the letter into his own hand andread it. "Now who put Bob up to this? Nobody had any business tointerfere--but it's mighty good of him, anyway," he added, as theanxious lines in his round face smoothed themselves away, while asmile of relie............