"What do you think about it?" asked the doctor.
"I think it was wrong and I am very sorry it happened. It won't occur again."
"I have no fear that it will. But it is too serious an offence to be lightly passed over. In the first place you and Williams must see Farmer Field, tell him what you have done and pay for the chicken that was—taken. After that I will talk with you. Now send Williams to me."
When Dick Williams came in the doctor began:
"Williams, how much do you love your mother?"
"Why, more than anyone else in the world, sir."
"She is keeping you here at considerable expense. Don't you think you owe it to her to pay more attention to your studies?"
"Yes, Doctor, and I am going to do better hereafter."
"How will your mother feel when she hears of this chicken-stealing episode?"
"Oh! Doctor; she mustn't hear of it that way. We didn't think of it as stealing last night, but this morning Ned and I talked about it and we are going to see Farmer Field and tell him what we did and pay for the chicken."