"Has Roland come home?" he asked.
"Yes, Mr. Oliver; he is in bed by this time."
"That's good!" thought Oliver. "Is Mr. Kenyon up?"
"No, Mr. Oliver. Did you wish to see him?"
"Oh, no," said Oliver, feeling relieved. "I only enquired out of curiosity. You'd better shut up the house, Maggie."
"I was going to, Mr. Oliver."
Oliver took his lamp and went up slowly to bed. His room was just opposite to Roland's, which adjoined the apartment occupied by his father.
Remembering the scene of the previous day, Oliver expected it would be renewed when he met his stepfather and Roland at breakfast in the morning. Such, also, was the expectation of Roland. He wanted Oliver to be humiliated, and fully anticipated that he would be.
What, then, was the surprise of the two boys when Mr. Kenyon displayed an unusually gracious manner at table!