NO COWARD AFTER ALL.
WHEN he began to talk things over with Duke, Noel was much astonished to find that his brother regarded him in the light of a hero.
"I could never have done it," Duke protested. "I should either have shown the men where the money was, or I should have told a story and declared that I did not know. After all, Noel, you are braver than I."
"Oh, no! How can you say so?" cried Noel. "You know how I hate being alone in the dark, and I am frightened at ever so many things that you don't mind in the least."
"All the same, I should have been afraid of those men, and I would not have held out as you did," said Duke. "I should have told them a lie, and that would show me a coward, would it not, mother?"
"You are right; it is a cowardly thing to tell a lie," said Mrs. Bryden. "Noel was sorely tempted to do so, and I am glad and thankful that he resisted the temptation. A man, or a boy, is not a coward because he feels fear, but only if he gives way to that fear when he ought to struggle against it. A man's limbs may tremble when his heart is resolute, and it is the heart that counts. You cannot grow up to be brave, true, strong men, fighters on Christ's side against the evil of the world, unless you learn while you are boys to resist the temptations to meanness and cowardice and deceit, which are, I think, a boy's worst faults."
"It was all through my not being straight that we got shut behind that door," said Duke. "Mother, I will try to be straight; but it is not easy when the other boys want you to do things."
"I know it is not easy," said his mother. "It is often very hard to do right; but there is One Who is ready to help us in every difficult effort if we trust in Him. You know Whom I mean, boys—our Elder Brother, Who was tempted as we are, yet never overcome by evil."
The boys were silent for a few moments, then Noel asked:
"Did you know, mother, that there was a door behind that picture?"