“Strike while the iron’s hot. If you want to know what that means, never put off till to-morrow what you can do to-day.”

“You don’t mean I should go right home and do it?” said Philip, nervously.

“No; wait till to-night—when everybody is in bed. Then steal downstairs and do the job. The sooner it’s over, the better!”

“I’ll see about it,” replied Philip, hesitatingly.

“He’s a little coward,” said Congreve to himself; “but I guess I can bring him to it.”


CHAPTER XXXII — PHILIP DOES NOT FEEL HAPPY

At supper time Philip seemed so sober and preoccupied that his mother said:

“What ails you, Philip?”

“Nothing. What makes you ask?”