That same afternoon Mr. Barton asked Jack, who was hovering about his stepbrother with tender solicitude, if he would like to pay the gipsies' encampment a visit; and accordingly the two started off together, leaving Theodore and Mrs. Barton alone. She moved her chair close to the boy's sofa, and strove hard to amuse him, but it was a thankless task, for Theodore was disinclined for conversation, being secretly annoyed because Jack had left him.
"Shall I read to you?" Mrs. Barton asked, "or would you like me to tell you a story?"
Theodore declared his head ached, and he wanted to be quiet. On hearing this, his stepmother removed her chair to the opposite side of the room, and took up some needlework. Theodore watched her wistfully, regretting that he had driven her away. He thought her face looked a little sad and pale, and once he fancied he heard her sigh. She must have been very anxious about Jack last night, he remembered, and he was conscious that he ought to exonerate his stepbrother from blame in her sight.
"It was all my fault yesterday," he said, bluntly, "I mean that we got lost. Did Jack tell you how I made him go?"
She put down her work, and glanced at him in surprise, shaking her head.
"I told father all about it, and he forgave me," Theodore proceeded. "I—I should like to tell you too."
"Yes?"
"If any harm had come to Jack it would have been my fault, because I made him go with me, I did. He didn't want to go at all. So he never told you? Well, he is a brick!" Theodore's tone was full of admiration for his stepbrother. "I suppose he didn't want to get me into a row," he continued, "but I hope you didn't scold him. Oh, I don't know what I should have done if anything had happened to Jack."
"Tell me all about it, Theodore," Mrs. Barton said, looking mystified. "How did you make Jack go? Even if you did influence him he was to blame all the same."
Theodore entered into an explanation, concealing nothing. When he had finished his tale he said, dolefully, "Father thought you would forgive me, but perhaps he didn't know."