"What kind of a time? Why don't you say what you mean, and not beat about the bush all night," demanded Kidd, who was certainly filled with curiosity, even if the memory of past exploits with the Topovers did not influence him.
"And you will go to old Gildrock, and tell him all about it!" exclaimed Tom.
"That's too bad, Tom!" said Kidd, springing to his feet in his excitement. "Did you ever know me to do such a thing?"
"I never did; but you have become a little lamb, and the shepherd leads you with a silk thread. There is no knowing what you will do," muttered Tom.
"You ought to know that I won't do a mean thing," returned Kidd indignantly. "I don't believe in bucking against a stone wall as you do, but I am no more of a lamb than you are."
Kidd certainly was not very thoroughly reformed, or he would not have so indignantly repelled the charge of being a good boy. To be able to bear such scoffs and taunts was the next lesson he had to learn, and it was a great pity that he had not learned it sooner. But he could not bear to be reproached because he had behaved himself. This is the misfortune of any boy who has earned a bad reputation,—that he feels obliged to sustain his bad name.
"You never used to do mean things, but since you became a little lamb"—
"I am not a little lamb!" protested Kidd, more angry than he would have been if he had been called a thief. "I mean to get along as easy as I can, and I don't care about living on bread and butter and cold water. This is a free country, and every fellow that wants to do so can put his fingers into the fire."
"Do you want to have a little fun, Kidd Digfield? That's the question before the house just now, as the nobs say," continued Tom Topover, dropping his voice down to a confidential tone.
"It depends upon what sort of fun it is," replied Kidd. "If you mean the fun of being locked into your room for a week, and be fed on short rations, I don't want any fun."