"He appears to be a very good-hearted fellow now; but he is young, and has not yet fully developed his character. He may yet turn out to be a worthless fellow, dissolute and dishonest," continued the captain.
"Don John!" exclaimed Nellie, utterly unwilling to accept such a supposition.
"Even Don John. I can recall more than one young man, who promised as well as he does, that turned out very badly; and men fully developed in character, sustaining the highest reputations in the community, have been detected in the grossest frauds. I trust Don John will realize the hopes of his friends; but we must not be too positive."
"I can't believe that Don John will ever become a bad man," protested Nellie.
"We don't know. 'Put not your trust in princes,' in our day and nation, might read, 'Put not your trust in young men.'"
"Why do you say all this, father?" asked Nellie, anxiously. "Has Don John done anything wrong; or is he suspected of doing anything wrong?"
"He is at least suspected," replied Captain Patterdale.
"Why, father!"
"You need not be in haste to condemn him, or even to think ill of him, Nellie."
"I certainly shall not."