Page images
PDF
EPUB

put it out. papers.'

It was in the very midst of all those burnt

'Poor boy,' was the first thing Mrs. Calton said; 'poor dear boy, perhaps he guesses it was that which caused the fire, and that may be the reason he spoke so oddly to me. We must not let him know that we are aware he had anything to do with it. I can never forget that he saved my child's life.'

Mr. Calton might have said that the child would not have been in danger of death excepting for Geoffry's carelessness, but he did not say so. He said instead,—

'You may be sure I shall not reproach him with it, but I am very much mistaken in Geoffry Lisle if he himself passes over the matter so quietly. He is far too honourable and straightforward not to admit when he knows himself to be wrong. If he left that candle burning, he will be sure to tell us about it. It is a thousand pities that such a fine boy should be spoilt by such a habit of carelessness as his.'

'Not spoilt,' said Mrs. Calton gently. 'Geoffry is not spoilt. He is a dear, dear brave-hearted boy.'

'That he is, and more than that,' said her husband; 'and it is the greater pity that he should be so careless as to overshadow such noble qualities.'

CHAPTER VIII.

M

AN HONOURABLE BOY.

R. CALTON was not mistaken in Geoffry Lisle. The praises of his school-fellows, the friendship and kindness of Mr. and Mrs. Calton, pained him instead of giving him pleasure. Of course there was no attempt at lessons that day; even if the boys had been able to find their books and other things amongst the heaps of articles which had been carried from the house, no one felt inclined to settle to lessons; which was very funny indeed on the part of the boys, was it not?

But all day there was confusion, the boys had most of them to write home and give an account of the fire, and say that the school would be obliged to break upat least until the master could meet with another house.

By many of the boys, I am afraid, this was looked upon as merely fun, and they were very pleased at lessons being knocked off, and at living in this untidy manner

half in the house, and half out of doors, besides the hope of going home for a time; and they did not stop to think how very sad a thing it would be to their master.

You may be sure Henry Watson got plenty of laughing at for going after his cake, and he deserved it; so I hope it did him good, and I am glad that, after all his trouble, he did not get any of the cake to eat.

But as evening came, and the house had been made. as comfortable as it could be for the present, and all the furniture and books carried in-doors, and Mr. and Mrs. Calton were talking things over, and thinking they really could keep on the school while the house was rebuilding, if they could hire sleeping rooms for some of the boys, Geoffry Lisle knocked at the door of the dining-room, and the next moment stood looking like a culprit upon the threshold.

'Well, what is it, my dear Geoffry?' said Mrs. Calton kindly, and looking at him. Come and sit down here, I am sure you must be very tired after all your hard work. Give him a glass of wine, dear,' added she, turning to her husband,

But Geoffry, always so impetuous in all he did, made a rush to the sofa where she was seated, and fell down on his knees, and placed his head in her lap, and said, 'Oh, Mrs. Calton, if you only knew what a wicked boy I have been, you would not speak so kindly to me. You think I behaved well, when no one could have behaved worse than I have. It is I that set a light to the house!

it is I who have done all this mischief! it is my fault that dear little Bell was in danger, so that I did nothing in going to save her! You thanked me this morning, Mrs. Calton, when you should have scolded me. And you, sir,' said he to his master, 'you thanked me also for helping to save the books, when it was no fault but mine that the library was likely to be burnt. Oh, Mrs. Calton,' continued Geoffry, sobbing, 'you do not know it, but it was I left a candle burning in the study, when I had been particularly told to put it out. go back and put it out, I did indeed, but I was called away in a hurry and obliged to go into the play-ground, and I forgot it.'

But I did mean to

'You did not think, sir,' resumed Geoffry, after a pause, seeing how very grave Mr. Calton was looking, 'you did not think I disobeyed you on purpose?'

'No, my boy,' said his master kindly; 'I was thinking of that wretched excuse of yours, "I forgot it.”

'It is no excuse, I know,' said Geoffry, in a low voice. 'I did all sorts of mischief when last at home, and I had made up my mind that I would remember.'

'God teach you to remember,' said Mr. Calton solemnly. 'Geoffry, do not think that I am, or that Mrs. Calton is, angry with you for what has taken place. I had found the candlestick, and guessed who was the author of the mischief before you told us. Though you are very much to blame for your carelessness, I cannot forget your conduct during the fire, so we will say no

more about it now; only don't forget it, Geoffry, whatever you do; don't forget the consequences of your thoughtlessness.'

Every one was so tired that evening that they did not mind being very crowded, they could have slept upon anything; and the next day Mr. Calton managed to find them beds out of the house.

When Mr. Lisle heard all the particulars of the fire from Geoffry, he thought it was his duty to bear the expense of re-building the burnt part of the house, as it had been destroyed by his son's fault; and I am afraid that the knowledge that Mr. and Mrs. Calton did not after all suffer much by the fire, helped to rub off Geoffry's memory the regret he had felt so strongly at the time.

I fear his mind was very like a slate, and anything new that happened served like a wet sponge to rub away what was written on it.

So when the term came to an end, and the Christmas holidays arrived, I think Geoffry had nearly forgotten about the fire at school; and was quite ready again to be as thoughtless as ever.

D

« PreviousContinue »