“Well, maybe not; but for himself. There are heavy penalties for wrecking, and it’s well he wasn’t caught, though, as I say, I don’t accuse him. Only it looks black, it looks black. If he was innocent why didn’t he stay and fight it out? Yes, lad, it looks black.”
“I’m afraid so,” sighed Blake. “How can I ever tell Joe the news?”
“You mustn’t!” exclaimed the old man. “That’s just it. You must not tell him. I’d hate to destroy his faith in his father. It would be cruel. That’s why I asked if you could keep a secret. You won’t tell him; will you?”
“No,” said Blake, in a low voice; “I won’t tell him.”
CHAPTER IX
AT PRACTICE
There was silence between man and boy for a space, and then Blake, understanding how hard it would be to keep the news from Joe, said:
“I’ll have to tell him something, Mr. Stanton. Joe will want to know why his father went away, and where. Isn’t there any way in which we may get a clue to the direction he took?”