Boys -- Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction; Schools -- Juvenile fiction
'We'll get this business over while you are here,' he said. And when
Leonard appeared, he said, 'My friend, Mr. Fred Howard, says you have
something to tell me. Yes, he is my friend, and I trust that you will
make him yours also, if he will accept the friendship of a boy like
you,' said the doctor, answering the look of perplexity on Leonard's
face. 'This lad's father has saved your uncle's life more than once,
it seems, while you have nearly killed his brother. Is that true?'
Leonard hung his head, and the tears slowly gathered in his eyes. 'Did
Mr. Warren tell you that, father?' he said with a gasp.
'I have not seen Warren yet,' said Dr. Morrison. 'What is it you have
to tell me? Do not be afraid, I want to hear all the truth from you.
Now what is it you have to tell me, Len?' said the doctor, in a more
tender tone. 'I hear you have got into some scrape at school, and
somebody has got hurt.'
'Yes, father; the scholarship boy, and I was afraid he might die.'
'Well, what was your share of the mischief? Did you really wish your
schoolfellow to die?'
'Father, we didn't mean to hurt him really. We only wanted to drive
him away from the school.' And then, bit by bit, Mr. Morrison heard
the whole story of what had been going on at Torrington's for the last
few months.
Fred was as much astonished as Mr. Morrison. 'My brother never said a
word about it at home,' he said.
'Your brother has the brave gallant spirit of a gentleman,' said the
doctor. 'But what am I to say of my son and his cowardly companions?
Go to your room, sir!' he said, addressing Leonard, for he was very
angry.
'But, Mr. Morrison, that he should wish to come and tell you of it
before it is known at the school who has done it, should not be
forgotten,' said Fred, pleadingly.
'Certainly, certainly, it is something, as you say,' answered Mr.
Morrison; but in truth he felt overwhelmed just now.
As Fred was leaving, a servant from Dr. Mason's arrived with a note,
asking that Mr. Morrison would bring his son, and be at the school by
nine o'clock.
'Mason has found out all about it, I expect,' he said, as he read the
note. He gave orders for his carriage to be ready by half-past eight
the following day, for he had a great deal to do before he started for
London in the evening.
He went to see Leonard in his own room before he went to bed, and then
told him something of his uncle's life, and why it was that he wished
to befriend Horace Howard.
His father's talk made a deep impression on the boy's mind. 'Mamma
told me something of this once but she did not say the "somebody" was
my uncle.'
'My boy, she loved this brother as Florrie loves you, and how could
she tell you all the miserable tale?'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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