"But that would be stealing," Mousey objected, looking at him with reproachful eyes. "You don't mean it, really, do you?"
The boy had the grace to look ashamed of himself. He grew red, and fidgeted uneasily in his chair.
"Where's that Bible of yours?" he inquired, glad to change the subject. "I want to read about that soldier you were speaking of— Gid—what was his name?"
"Gideon," Mousey replied. "I'll run upstairs and fetch my Bible."
This she accordingly did, and finding the sixth chapter of the book of Judges, told him he could read about Gideon in the concluding verses, and in the following chapter.
"I never thought there was anything half so interesting in the Bible," he told her later on; "and to think it's all true, too! Can't you let me keep your book for a few days?"
Mousey hesitated, for this Bible had been her mother's gift to her when she had first learnt to read; but remembering that John Monday had no Bible of his own, she agreed to lend it to him.
"Not if you would rather not," he said, looking disappointed, she thought.
"I would like to lend it to you," she replied; "I would indeed. I have mother's Bible upstairs in my box, so I can read hers."
"Thank you," he responded gratefully; "it's very good of you."