CHAPTER XVII.
"Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth."
"Bah," said Will Bailey, "you're fooling, Howard Minturn!"
"As true as I live, I'm not," answered Howard earnestly; "you can ask Mr. Burrows."
"What's up?" inquired Ellis Holbrook, joining the two.
"Why, Howard is telling the biggest yarn you ever heard: he says Tip Lewis went to prayer-meeting last night and made a prayer."
"Tip Lewis!" and Ellis Holbrook's voice was full, not only of surprise, but scorn; "I should like to hear him."
"Well, it's true," repeated Howard. "My father told us about it this morning, and he said it was a good prayer too; he said, Ellis, that your father couldn't keep the tears out of his eyes when he heard him; and Mr. Burrows walked up town with father, and told him that Tip had changed wonderfully, that he was one of the best boys in school."
"Well," said Will Bailey, "if Tip Lewis has turned saint, I'll give up. Why, he's the meanest scamp in town; my father says he's had enough for anything."
"Oh, well now," answered Ellis, "there's no use in being stupid enough not to see that what Mr. Burrows says is true. I never saw any one change as he has in my life, but I'll be hanged if I like him as well as I did before he was so awful good; he's too nice for anything now-a-days."