"JOCK, suppose you were an officer in the Army—" Jock looked up
eagerly, for he meant to be, one day—"and suppose you were found fault
with for something you could not help. You might get a real big rowing
from your superior officer, when all the while you had not meant to do
anything wrong. How would you take it? Would you fly into a rage?—Or
would you say—'It wasn't me, sir, it was Smith?'—Or would you rush away
and have a good cry?"
Jock laughed.
"Of course you would do nothing of the sort. You would just stand
straight and still, and listen quietly, and then you would salute your
officer and would bear the rowing without a word."
"'Would' I?"
"Undoubtedly. That is Army discipline. Don't you think that in this
case, it is wiser for you just to take the consequences of what you
have done—even though you did not mean to do wrongly?"
Jock nodded assent.
"That's right. Now—would you like to come and see my father? He expects
you one day."
Jock sighed, for it sounded tempting. "I just oughtn't to be out at
all," he murmured. "Aunt Judith said I was to stop in my room all day."
"Why didn't you?"
"I wanted to post my letter."
Which the Captain knew he had not posted, but he put no more questions.
"I think you had better hurry back now, as fast as you can, and tell
Aunt Judith why you came out. And then—take your punishment like a man."
"Will it be like that officer that got rowed?" Jock asked earnestly.
"It will. So—shake hands, and be off like lightning."
The warm grip of that strong hand put heart into the boy. He smiled and
raced away, never slackening till close to Grannie's kitchen-garden.
And there, unexpectedly, he banged straight into Mousie, seated alone
and disconsolately on the ground.
Instantly Jock's mood changed, and dire resentment took possession
of him. For at the bottom of all this trouble was Mousie. He stopped
short—dead—and faced her, and Mousie gave him a pitiful little smile,
and put her hand on his arm. Jock promptly shook it off.
"'Dear' Jock," the small maiden said wistfully.
"Oh, get out," retorted Jock. "You've had your way, and I've got to pay
for it—that's all."
"Was Miss Baynes most awfully angry?"
Jock faced her with firmly shut lips.
"Was it all because of yesterday? I didn't mean to get you
punished—truly I didn't."
"You've done it—anyhow."
"Jock—you didn't tell about me?"
"Shouldn't think you need ask that!"
"But you won't—you won't—will you?"
"There—get out. I've said I won't."
"Jock—you aren't angry with me?"
"Oh, get out," repeated Jock, with a move onward.
"I do love you so."
"Looks like it," uttered the aggrieved Jock.
"But I do—truly. And I won't ever do it again. And I'd tell—I would,
Jock—if it wasn't just for that prize. Do you mind so very much, just
this one time? I promise faithfully I'll never let you get blamed
again—not for anything."
"I don't think 'your' promises are worth much."
"Oh, but they are. If only you'll forgive me this one time, and won't
let out what I did—specially if you won't tell Captain Royle. 'Cause I
know he wouldn't like me never any more."
"Oh, get along," was Jock's response, and he rushed away, refusing to
see Mousie's face of entreaty.
This little scene had rubbed him all the wrong way, calling up his
grievances and making more distasteful than before the idea of going
to tell Aunt Judith. On first leaving Captain Royle, it had looked so
easy, and now it was not easy at all. He remembered the things she had
said to him, and he did not want to see her.
He went slowly through the back-garden, and reached the house. The
passage within was empty, and nothing would be more easy than just to
run up to his room, and perhaps then she would not need to know that
he had left it at all. But—he remembered that he had to be a man, and
he heard Aunt Judith's little cough in the morning-room. He opened the
door.
"Jock—" she said.
"I've been out," he said in a hurry "And I know I oughtn't to. I wanted
to post a letter to Mummy. And I didn't. And—I'm sorry."
"You ought to be. Go to your room at once."
Jock obeyed, and stood at his window, gazing out. Then he became aware
that his arm was very stiff and painful. He had had so much to think
about as to have paid it small attention thus far. So he pulled off his
jacket, and unfastened the bandage which had slipped from its right
place. Jock was regarding the bruised and discoloured patch with rueful
eyes, when Aunt Judith came in.
"What have you done to yourself?" she asked.
"I—had a tumble."
"You must have the arm bathed. Give me that handkerchief."
Jock held it out, then snatched it back. He knew that in one corner
were Mousie's initials, large and clear. It went hurriedly into his
pocket.
"Give me that handkerchief, Jock."
"I—can't," Jock said desperately. "Please, Aunt Judith—I mustn't. It
isn't mine."
Miss Baynes gave him one of her steady looks, and to his surprise she
did not repeat the order. She went for some warm water and bathed the
arm, tying it up afresh.
"That will soon be better, but you must take care not to knock it. Now
mind, Jock—there must be no more of such doings—breaking rules, and
refusing to answer questions, and worst of all, being untruthful. I am
not going to say anything to your mother by this mail, because I do not
want to give her pain without real need. But if anything of the kind
happens again, she will have to know." Jock felt very glad that he had
not posted his letter. "I thought you were a boy who could be trusted,
and I am disappointed."
"Dad always said—" broke in Jock.
"Yes, your father did say so, and I am very sorry to find him
mistaken." Jock swallowed something with difficulty. "I suppose you
expect not to be punished, now you have told me. But—"
"No," Jock said resolutely.
Aunt Judith stood looking at him again.
"I might lock you in your room," she said slowly. "But this time I
will not. You will spend the rest of the day there, and you will not
come down this evening. To-morrow you will go to lessons as usual, but
you will spend your play-hours in the garden, and not with the Moore
children. I think, however, that your real punishment will be that for
the present I cannot fully trust you."