With wonderful clearness Tom related the whole adventure, and growing more animated as he went on, he finished by saying—
“It all came out of what you said, sir. I thought if Pete had some good in him, I’d try and help bring it out by being a little friendly; but I regularly failed, and uncle will be horribly cross with me for getting in such a state.”
“Nothing of the kind,” said the Vicar decisively. “I know your uncle better than you do, sir, and I can answer for what he will say. But you see, Tom, I was quite right about the lad.”
“No, sir, I don’t,” replied Tom sharply. “Look at my face and hands.”
“Oh yes, they do show wounds of the warpath, Tom; but they were received in a grand cause. I knew there was good in the lad, and you have done a deal to bring it out.”
“I don’t see much good yet, sir,” said Tom, rather sulkily, for he was in a great deal of pain.
“Perhaps not,” said the Vicar, “but I do. It seems to me that by accident you have gone the right way to work to make a change in Pete Warboys. You have evidently made him respect you, by showing him that you were the better man.”
By this time they were getting pretty close to Heatherleigh, and the Vicar gave Tom’s arm a grip.
“I’m afraid I shall not see you at church next Sunday, Tom,” he said, with a smile.
“Are you going to be away, sir?” said Tom wonderingly.