“Then own up that it was a lie!”
“I didn’t mean it; I wanted him to get back his money, and I thought you said something of the kind.”
“You thought no such thing! O Phineas! Phineas!” And the deacon almost wept with sorrow over his son’s meanness and untruth.
“I hope you’ll forgive me; I hope he will,” whined Phin.
“I do,” said Jack, frankly, “now that you have owned up.”
“And you’ll let Lion stay?”
“Lion is all he cares for!” said Moses, with angry contempt, as Phin slunk away out of sight.
“O, here comes cousin Annie!” cried little Kate.
Jack ran eagerly to meet his dear friend, but started back on seeing at her side his new acquaintance, Percy Lanman.
The beautiful schoolmistress kissed him openly, in right sisterly fashion, and rejoiced over the good news. Percy pressed his hand warmly, and said, with that bright, good-humored look of his, “I was out botanizing, and stopped at the school-house to get news of you; and as Miss Felton was just starting to walk home, I walked with her.”