"Oh, poor old Jim!" he exclaimed. "And fancy, to-day of all the days in the year."
"I'm awfully sorry too," remarked Temple. "Better show him the paper, so that he can tell his mother. Lucky the information came too late to put on the placard."
"They'll have it in big letters on the next lot," replied Dick, slipping the paper inside his flannels.
"Hurry him home as fast as you can," said the other. "Somebody may stop Mrs. Hartland and blurt out the news. There are plenty of fools about."
Dick was off at once, and, overtaking his friends, rather surprised his mother by saying,—
"Step out, mother. You forget it's past tea-time, and Susie here is as hungry as a hunter."
Now, of course Mrs. Boden had no suspicion of the truth, but she guessed from Dick's face that something was wrong, and, being a wise little woman, quickened her pace.
"Fancy Temple taking the hump like that," said Jim as they turned into Cedar Road, where he lived. "Shouldn't have thought he was that sort."
"Oh, it wasn't over the match. But I'll tell you all about it another time." And Dick nodded at the chair, as much as to say, "I don't want Susie to hear."
Jim took the hint, and being rather curious, pushed on quickly to the house. They were all near the little gate when his mother said,—