"Ellis has told me nothing. I heard, from one of the smaller boys, a very sad story. Have you anything to tell me?" "No, sir, I have not; it's all true. I got awful mad, and I said mad things. I--I did worse than that." Tip's voice sank to a solemn whisper. Mr. Holbrook, too, was silent and sad; at last he said,-- "What, Edward! do you mean to give up, and go back to the old life?" And he remembered, years after, just how painfully his heart throbbed while he waited for Tip's answer; it was prompt and plain: "No, sir; God wouldn't even let me do that." And then for a minute Mr. Holbrook did not speak for very thankfulness, that, through all this maze of sin, God was leading Tip into the light again. "Do you feel that you have God's forgiveness?" he asked, speaking gently. "Yes, sir." Tip could not give very long answers that evening. "Why were you so quiet to-night in prayer-meeting?" "Because," said Tip, speaking low, "I was ashamed to say anything before you or Mr. Burrows or the boys, after what happened today." "More ashamed with us than you were with God?" "Yes, sir, I was; because God knows all about it,--just how sorry I am, and how He has forgiven me, and is going to help me; and you didn't know that." Again Mr. Holbrook was thankful. "How about to-morrow, Edward?" he asked at last. And this time Tip's answer was very low: I don't know; I don't know what to do." "If you knew what was right to do, would you _do_ it?" "I'm pretty sure I'd _try_ to, sir." "Well, did you honour or dishonour Christ to-day?" Tip's answer was in a more timid tone than he often spoke: "I dishonoured Him." "Do the boys know that you are very sorry, and have asked God to forgive you?" "No, sir; they don't know anything about it." "Don't you think, for the honour of Christ, they ought to?" "I suppose so." "Who ought to tell them?" No immediate answer came to this; then, after a little,-- "Mr. Holbrook, how could I tell them--to each one--about it?" "See if you cannot answer your own question. Will not all the boys be likely to hear about it?" "Yes, sir; they'll be sure to." "And would they all be likely to hear what you have to say, unless you spoke to all at once?" "But, Mr. Holbrook, if I did that, it would have to be in school." "Well?" "But to-morrow is the last day, and it's examination." "Well?" That short word seemed to have a good deal of power over Tip, for he only answered it by saying, after a long silence,-- "Mr. Holbrook, I wonder if you can think how very hard that would be?" "Edward, I wonder if you can think how very hard it was for your Saviour to listen to your words this noon?" And Mr. Holbrook heard no more from Tip, save, when they reached the corner, a very low, very grave "Good-night." CHAPTER XXI. "He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble: I will deliver him, and honour him."