Jack and Jill

by Louisa May Alcott

  Chapter XIV. And Jill Finds It Out

  Jill 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 one thingto be done was to clear away the cloud about her dear boy, and restorehim to public favor.

  "Ed will be here Saturday night and may be he will find out, for Jacktells him everything. I do hate to have him hectored so, for I know heis, though he's too proud to complain," she said, on Thursday evening,when Frank told her some joke played upon his brother that day.

  "I let him alone, but I see that he isn't badgered too much. That's allI can do. If Ed had only come home last Saturday it might have donesome good, but now it will be too late; for the reports are given outto-morrow, you know," answered Frank, feeling a little jealous of Ed'sinfluence over Jack, though his own would have been as great if he hadbeen as gentle.

  "Has Jerry come back?" asked Jill, who kept all her questions for Frank,because she seldom alluded to the tender subject when with Jack.

  "No, he's off for the summer. Got a place somewhere. Hope he'll staythere and let Bob alone."

  "Where is Bob now? I don't hear much about him lately," said Jill, whowas constantly on the lookout for "the other fellow," since it was notJoe.

  "Oh, he went to Captain Skinner's the first of March, chores round, andgoes to school up there. Captain is strict, and won't let Bob come totown, except Sundays; but he don't mind it much, for he likes horses,has nice grub, and the Hill fellows are good chaps for him 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 ofthe school-house. About three from here, I should say."

  "How long would it take a boy to walk up there?" went on the questioner,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 and cameback. 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 fellow was, andhow long a call he made," said Frank, who liked to be accurate.

  "Jack couldn't do it in less, could he?"

  "He used to run up that hilly road for a breather, and think nothing ofit. It would be a long job for him now, poor little chap, for his legoften troubles him, though he hates to own it."

  Jill lay back and laughed, a happy little laugh, as if she was pleasedabout something, and Frank looked over his shoulder to ask questions inhis turn.

  "What are you laughing at?"

  "Can't tell."

  "Why do you want to know about Hill District? Are you going there?"

  "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 I wantyou to post it for me to-night, and never say a word till I give youleave."

  "Oh, now _you_ are going to have secrets and be mysterious, and get intoa mess, are you?" and Frank looked down at her with a suspicious air,though he was intensely curious to know what she was about.

  "Go away till I'm done. You will have to see the outside, but you can'tknow the inside till the answer comes;" and propping herself up, Jillwrote the following note, with some hesitation at the beginning and end,for she did not know the gentleman she was addressing, 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. He paidhim some money. Jack won't tell, and Mr. Acton talked to him about itbefore all the school. We feel bad, because we think Jack did not dowrong. I don't know as you have anything to do with it, but I thoughtI'd ask. Please answer quick. Respectfully yours,

  "Jane Pecq"

  To make sure that her despatch was not tampered with, Jill put a greatsplash of red sealing-wax on it, which gave it a very official look, andmuch impressed Bob when he received it.

  "There! Go and post it, and don't let any one see or know about it," shesaid, handing it over to Frank, who left his work with unusual alacrityto do her errand. When his eye fell on the address, he laughed, and saidin a teasing way,--

  "Are you and Bob such good friends that you correspond? What will Jacksay?"

  "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, and Iwant to do it myself, if I can."

  "Look here; what are you after? I do believe you think----" Frank gotno farther, for Jill gave a little scream, and stopped him by cryingeagerly, "Don't say it out loud! I really do believe it may be, and I'mgoing to find out."

  "What made you think of him?" and Frank looked thoughtfully at theletter, 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 ear that madehim 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 it allsort of burst upon me in one minute!" cried Jill, waving her arms aboutto express the intellectual explosion which had thrown light upon themystery, 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 of whichhe 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 making underJack's unconscious feet. They hardly expected an answer at noon, as theHill people were not very eager for their mail, but at night Jill wassure of a letter, and to her great delight it came. Jack brought ithimself, which added to the fun, and while she eagerly read it he satcalmly poring over the latest number of his own private and particular"Youth's Companion."

  Bob was not a "complete letter-writer" by any means, and with greatlabor and much ink had produced the following brief but highlysatisfactory epistle. Not knowing how to address his fair correspondenthe let it alone, and went at once to the point in the frankest possibleway:--

  "Jack did come up Friday. Sorry he got into a mess. It was real kind ofhim, and I shall pay him back soon. Jack paid Jerry for me and I madehim promise not to tell. Jerry said he'd come here and make a row if Ididn't cash up. I was afraid I'd lose the place if he did, for the Capt.is awful strict. If Jack don't tell now, I will. I ain't mean. Glad youwrote.

  "R.O.W."

  "Hurrah!" cried Jill, waving the letter over her head in great triumph."Call everybody and read it out," she added, as Frank snatched it, andran for his mother, seeing at a glance that the news was good. Jillwas so afraid she should tell before the others came that she burst outsinging "Pretty Bobby Shafto" at the top of her voice, to Jack's greatdisgust, for he considered the song very personal, as he _was_ ratherfond of "combing down his yellow hair," and Jill often plagued him bysinging it when he came in with the golden quirls very smooth and niceto hide the scar on his forehead.

  In about five minutes the door flew open and in came Mamma, makingstraight for bewildered Jack, who thought the family had gone crazy whenhis parent caught him in her arms, saying tenderly,--

  "My good, generous boy! I knew he was right all the time!" while Frankworked his hand up and down like a pump-handle, exclaiming heartily,--
>
  "You're a trump, sir, and I'm proud of you!" Jill meantime calling out,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 the breathout of me, please," expostulated Jack, looking so startled and innocent,as he struggled feebly, that they all laughed, and this plaintiveprotest caused him to be released. But the next proceeding did notenlighten him much, for Frank kept waving a very inky paper before himand ordering him to read it, while Mamma made a charge at Jill, as if itwas absolutely necessary to hug 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 a smileof relief told how hard it had been for him to keep his word.

  "I did!" cried Jill, clapping her hands, and looking so happy that hecould not have scolded her if he had wanted to.

  "Who told you he was in the scrape?" demanded Jack, in a hurry to knowall about it now the seal was taken off his own lips.

  "You did;" and Jill's face twinkled with naughty satisfaction, for thiswas the best fun of all.

  "I didn't! When? Where? It's a joke!"

  "You did," cried Jill, pointing to the rug. "You went to sleep thereafter the long walk, and talked in your sleep about 'Bob' and 'Allright, old boy,' and ever so much gibberish. I didn't think about itthen, but when I heard that Bob was up there I thought may be he knewsomething about it, and last night I wrote and asked him, and that's theanswer, and now it _is_ all right, and you are the best boy that everwas, and I'm so glad!"

  Here Jill paused, all out of breath, and Frank said, with an approvingpat on the head,--

  "It won't do to have such a sharp young person round if we are going tohave secrets. You'd make a good detective, miss."

  "Catch me taking naps before people again;" and Jack looked rathercrestfallen that his own words had set "Fine Ear" on the track. "Nevermind, I didn't _mean_ to tell, though I just ached to do it all thetime, so I haven't broken my word. I'm glad you all know, but youneedn't let it get out, for Bob is a good fellow, and it might maketrouble for him," added Jack, anxious lest his gain should be theother's loss.

  "I shall tell Mr. Acton myself, and the Captain, also, for I'm not goingto have my son suspected of wrong-doing when he has only tried to help afriend, and borne enough for his sake," said Mamma, much excited by thisdiscovery of generous fidelity in her boy; though when one came to lookat it calmly, one saw that it might have been done in a wiser way.

  "Now, please, don't make a fuss about it; that would be most as bad ashaving every one down on me. I can stand your praising me, but I won'tbe patted on the head by anybody else;" and Jack assumed a manly air,though his face was full of genuine boyish pleasure at being set rightin the eyes of those he loved.

  "I'll be discreet, dear, but you owe it to yourself, as well as Bob, tohave the truth known. Both have behaved well, and no harm will come tohim, I am sure. I'll see to that myself," said Mrs. Minot, in a tonethat set Jack's mind at rest on that point.

  "Now do tell all about it," cried Jill, who was pining to know the wholestory, and felt as if she had earned the right to hear it.

  "Oh, it wasn't much. We promised Ed to stand by Bob, so I did as wellas I knew how;" and Jack seemed to think that was about all there was tosay.

  "I never saw such a fellow for keeping a promise! You stick to itthrough thick and thin, no matter how silly or hard it is. You remember,mother, last summer, how you told him not to go in a boat and hepromised, the day we went on the picnic. We rode up, but the horse ranoff home, so we had to come back by way of the river, all but Jack, andhe walked every step of five miles because he wouldn't go near a boat,though Mr. Burton was there to take care of him. I call that ratheroverdoing the matter;" and Frank looked as if he thought moderation evenin virtue a good thing.

  "And I call it a fine sample of entire obedience. He obeyed orders, andthat is what we all must do, without always seeing why, or daring touse our own judgment. It is a great safeguard to Jack, and a very greatcomfort to me; for I know that if he promises he will keep his word,no matter what it costs him," said Mamma warmly, as she tumbled upthe quirls with an irrepressible caress, remembering how the boy camewearily in after all the others, without seeming for a moment to thinkthat he could have done anything else.

  "Like Casabianca!" cried Jill, much impressed, for obedience was herhardest trial.

  "I think he was a fool to burn up," said Frank, bound not to give in.

  "I don't. It's a splendid piece, and every one likes to speak it, andit was true, and it wouldn't be in all the books if he was a fool. Grownpeople know what is good," declared Jill, who liked heroic actions, andwas always hoping for a chance to distinguish herself in that way.

  "You admire 'The Charge of the Light Brigade,' and glow all over asyou thunder it out. Yet they went gallantly to their death rather thandisobey orders. A mistake, perhaps, but it makes us thrill to hear ofit; and the same spirit keeps my Jack true as steel when once his wordis passed, or he thinks it is his duty. Don't be laughed out of it, myson, for faithfulness in little things fits one for heroism when thegreat trials come. One's conscience can hardly be too tender when honorand honesty are concerned."

  "You are right, mother, and I am wrong. I beg your pardon, Jack, and yousha'n't get ahead of me next time."

  Frank made his mother a little bow, gave his brother a shake of thehand, and nodded to Jill, as if anxious to show that he was not tooproud to own up when he made a mistake.

  "Please tell on, Jack. This is very nice, but I do want to know allabout the other," said Jill, after a short pause.

  "Let me see. Oh, I saw Bob at church, and he looked rather blue; so,after Sunday School, I asked what the matter was. He said Jerry botheredhim for some money he lent him at different times when they were loafinground together, before we took him up. He wouldn't get any wages forsome time. The Captain keeps him short on purpose, I guess, and won'tlet him come down town except on Sundays. He didn't want any one to knowabout it, for fear he'd lose his place. So I promised I wouldn't tell.Then I was afraid Jerry would go and make a fuss, and Bob would run off,or do something desperate, being worried, and I said I'd pay it for him,if I could. So he went home pretty jolly, and I scratched 'round for themoney. Got it, too, and wasn't I glad?"

  Jack paused to rub his hands, and Frank said, with more than usualrespect,

  "Couldn't you get hold of Jerry in any other place, and out of schooltime? That did the mischief, thanks to Joe. I thrashed him, Jill--did Imention it?"

  "I couldn't get all my money till Friday morning, and I knew Jerry wasoff at night. I looked for him before school, and at noon, but couldn'tfind him, so afternoon recess was my last chance. I was bound to do itand I didn't mean to break the rule, but Jerry was just going into theshop, so I pelted after him, and as it was private business we went tothe billiard-room. I declare I never was so relieved as when I handedover that money, and made him say it was all right, and he wouldn't gonear Bob. He's off, so my mind is easy, and Bob will be so grateful Ican keep him steady, perhaps. That will be worth two seventy-five, Ithink," said Jack heartily.

  "You should have come to me," began Frank.

  "And got laughed at--no, thank you," interrupted Jack, recollectingseveral philanthropic little enterprises which were nipped in the budfor want of co-operation.

  "To me, then," said his mother. "It would have saved so much trouble."

  "I thought of it, but Bob didn't want the big fellows to know for fearthey'd be down on him, so I thought he might not like me to tell grownpeople. I don't mind the fuss now, and Bob is as kind as he can be.Wanted to give me his big knife, but I wouldn't take it. I'd rather havethis," and Jack put the letter in his pocket with a slap outside, as ifit warmed the cockles of his heart to have it there.

  "Well, it seems rather
like a tempest in a teapot, now it is all over,but I do admire your pluck, little boy, in holding out so well whenevery one was scolding at you, and you in the right all the time," saidFrank, glad to praise, now that he honestly could, after his wholesalecondemnation.

  "That is what pulled me through, I suppose. I used to think if I _had_done anything wrong, that I couldn't stand the snubbing a day. I shouldhave told right off, and had it over. Now, I guess I'll have a goodreport if you do tell Mr. Acton," said Jack, looking at his mother sowistfully, that she resolved to slip away that very evening, and makesure that the thing was done.

  "That will make you happier than anything else, won't it?" asked Jill,eager to have him rewarded after his trials.

  "There's one thing I like better, though I'd be very sorry to lose myreport. It's the fun of telling Ed I tried to do as he wanted us to, andseeing how pleased he'll be," added Jack, rather bashfully, for the boyslaughed at him sometimes for his love of this friend.

  "I know he won't be any happier about it than someone else, who stoodby you all through, and set her bright wits to work till the trouble wasall cleared away," said Mrs. Minot, looking at Jill's contented face, asshe lay smiling on them all.

  Jack understood, and, hopping across the room, gave both the thin handsa hearty shake; then, not finding any words quite cordial enough inwhich to thank this faithful little sister, he stooped down and kissedher gratefully.