"No, certainly not," said Forbes angrily. "You are an ungrateful sneaking little scamp, get away with you."
Jack burst into tears at this, and ran past Mr. Hodson and Geoff, who had overheard Forbes' words, as he had raised his voice in his anger.
Mr. Hodson turned round and looked at Forbes. The light of a lamp close by shewed him the indignant light in the boy's eyes.
"He's gone to complain to nurse now I suppose," he said, angrily looking after Jack's little figure, as he ran crying up the drive and into the house.
"Forbes," said Mr. Hodson, laying a kind hand on the boy's shoulder, "you remind me of a verse in Proverbs, 'He that ruleth his spirit is greater than he that taketh a city.' You have the chance of being a greater man then even Alexander—for though he conquered the world, he could not conquer his own temper, and killed his best friend in a fit of anger."
"Thank you Sir," said Forbes, "I'll remember."
[CHAPTER IV.]
TAKING A CITY.
Geoffrey remembered Mr. Hodson's words later in the evening.