"So was I," he responded. "I saw Mr. Bradley before the service, and he's going to let me join his Bible class."
"Oh, I am glad!" Maria exclaimed heartily.
"Shall you tell Cousin Robert?" Mousey inquired, after a minute's thought.
"I suppose he'll have to know," he replied uneasily, "though I hate the thought of telling him. I know how he'll look at me with his eyes as sharp as gimlets, and his mouth drawn down at the corners."
Neither Maria nor Mousey could help smiling at this description of Mr. Harding's countenance. John Monday stood in much awe of his master, and was almost as afraid of his satirical glances as he was of his sharp tongue. Unfortunately for his assistant, Mr. Harding had always had a bad opinion of him, and finding he was not expected to be straightforward and honest, John Monday never endeavoured to be either. As his master had always suspected his actions and motives, he had, in consequence, not treated him openly; indeed, until quite lately, he had thought it a fine act if he could deceive him in any way. Lately, however, a gradual change had been taking place in the boy's views of life. Mr. Bradley had sought more than once to bring good influences to bear upon him; and then Mousey had come to live in the house, and had astonished him not a little by her fearless truthfulness, and her honest endeavours to do right. A feeling of great dissatisfaction had crept into his heart, a sense of inferiority, and a longing to be better—a longing of which he was, strangely enough, ashamed.
[CHAPTER XVII]
JOHN MONDAY DETERMINES TO TURN OVER A NEW LEAF
WHEN Mr. Harding joined Mousey and John Monday at the supper-table that same Sunday night his countenance was so expressive of displeasure that the young folks wondered what could have happened during the evening to put him out. He had had a neighbour in to spend an hour with him—a naval pensioner, who lodged over a baker's shop on the opposite side of the street, and whose sole business, nowadays, appeared to be watching the doings of other people. As a rule, Mr. Harding found him an agreeable companion, but to-night the old busy-body had given him information which had greatly displeased him.
The supper proceeded almost in silence at first; but presently Mr. Harding turned sharply upon his assistant, and asked—
"What have you been doing this evening?"