Dr. Bowles looked at him wonderingly. "Why Ronald," he said, "it was only the other day you expressed a wish to Mrs. Bowles to go again to town. What has changed you? Some special game at cricket, I suppose. Well, well, take your own choice; you know I never interfere with your Saturday pleasures. But I must go now, or I'll be too late."
And without letting Ronald say another word, he was off. There was a sore sense of disappointment in Ronald's heart as, some minutes afterwards, he set off across the fields to Susan's cottage. He knew he was doing right; but just then it cost him a struggle. Yet, had not the Captain under whose banner he fought, said, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself"? And had he not vowed that, as far as possible, he would try to help the weak and suffering ones of earth as a true Knight of the Cross?
So with a more cheerful heart, he sped on his way, the pleasant summer air and bright sky cheering him. He saw one or two of the boys as he left the play-ground, and shouted to them that he would be back for a game in an hour or two; but he did not stay to talk to them just then, waving back even his own favourite little Sir James Dudley, pointing to him that he was off for a walk.
Susan's cottage lay in the very opposite direction from the river, and it was impossible for even a quick walker to go to both places and return to the school within two hours; so Ronald made up his mind to go straight to the cottage. On his way, he fancied he caught a glimpse of two boys crossing the fields which led to the river, and wondered if they could be any of the school-boys, but the distance was too great to let him distinguish the figures.
He soon reached the cottage, which stood alone, and, to his no small disappointment, found the door locked. As his knocking met with no answer, he concluded that the old woman must be asleep, and her little grandson, who took care of her, out. He lingered about for some minutes, in hopes that the child might be playing near; but seeing no traces of him, he very unwillingly retraced his steps. He went back slower than he had come: he had given up a great pleasure, and yet had been of no use to the old woman. It seemed hard. Still he felt he had done right; and by the time he reached the field where his companions were playing at cricket, he had entirely got over his disappointment.
"Come along, Macintosh," was the greeting he received. "We have been waiting for you; come and help us."
And in a moment the boy was engrossed in his favourite sport.
Dr. Bowles did not return from London till late, and the boys only saw him at evening worship.
Sunday passed in the usual way: the hours after church services, or rather between them, had become doubly pleasant to Ronald since Dudley's arrival, for somehow the little home-sick follow had found out that Macintosh was often alone then, and never ill-natured if a little boy disturbed him; so with fear at first the child had slipped away from some of the rougher boys to try and keep a promise he had given his mother to spend some portion of the Sunday as much in quiet as he could. He had told Ronald this, and from that day the two contrived to be together for a quiet hour, reading a little, talking a little, till, despite the difference in their years, these two became great friends; and in helping the little boy, Ronald rejoiced to feel he was doing the Master's work.
On Monday, more than one of the boys remarked that the face of their usually kind master wore a troubled, stern look. After breakfast, ere lessons began, he spoke: