CHAPTER FORTY ONE.
HOW THE DOCTOR PUNISHED.
Dexter's interview with Helen was long and painful, for at first itseemed as if she had lost all confidence and hope in the boy, till,realising all this, he cried in a wild outburst of grief--"I know howwrong it all was, but nearly everybody here seemed to dislike me, and Idid tell the truth about the boat, but no one believes. Do--do ask himto send me away."
There was a long silence here, as, for the first time, in spite of ahard fight, Dexter could not keep back his tears.
The silence was broken by Helen, who took his hand, and said gently--
"I believe you, Dexter. I am sure you would not tell a lie."
In an instant his arms were round her neck, and he was clinging to herunable to speak, but his eyes, his convulsed face, telling the doctor'sdaughter that she was right.
That evening, feeling very strange and terribly depressed, Dexter hadgone to his old bedroom, thinking it must be for the last time, andwondering how Mr Sibery would treat him.
Helen had sat talking to him for quite a couple of hours, winning fromhim a complete account of his adventures, and in return relating to himhow concerned every one had been on the discovery of his evasion, andhow bitterly the doctor had been mortified on learning later on that theboat had been taken. Who were the culprits was known in the course ofthe day, with the result that, acting on the suggestion already alludedto, the doctor had gone down to the mouth of the river to wait thecoming of the borrowers of the boat.
Helen had exacted no promises from Dexter. He had made none, but satthere with her, his hand in hers, wondering and puzzled how it was thathe could have run away, but the more he thought, the more puzzled hegrew.
"Well," said the doctor that evening, as he sat with his daughter, "Itold Danby that I was more determined than ever; that it was only aboyish escapade which he must look over to oblige me, and he agreedafter making a great many bones about it. But I feel very doubtful,Helen, and I may as well confess it to you."
"Doubtful?" she said.
"Yes, my dear. I could have forgiven everything if the boy had beenfrank and honest--if he had owned to his fault in a straightforward way;but when he sought to hide his own fault by trying to throw it onanother, I couldn't help feeling disgusted."
"But, papa--"
"Let me finish, my dear. I know what you are about to say. Woman-like,you are going to take his part. It will not do. The lying and deceitare such ugly blemishes in the boy's character that I am out of heart."
"Indeed, papa?" said Helen, smiling. "Ah, it's all very well for you tolaugh at me because I have failed over my hobby; but I feel I'm rightall the same, and I tell you that his ignorance, vulgarity--"
"Both of which are wonderfully changed."
"Yes, my dear, granted, and he does not talk so much about theworkhouse. He was a great deal better, and I could have forgiven thismad, boyish prank--though what could have influenced him, I don't know."
"I can tell you," said Helen. "A boy's love of adventure. The idea ofgoing off in a boat to discover some wonderful island where he couldlive a Robinson Crusoe kind of life."
"A young donkey!" cried the doctor. "But there, it's all off. I couldhave forgiven everything, but the cowardly lying."
"Then, poor fellow, he is forgiven."
"Indeed, no, my dear. He goes back to the Union to-morrow; but I shalltell Hippetts to apprentice him to some good trade at once, and I willpay a handsome premium. Confound Hippetts! He'll laugh at me."
"No, he will not, papa."
"Yes, he will, my dear. I know the man."
"But you will not be laughed at."
"Why not?"
"Because you will not send Dexter back."
"Indeed, my dear, but I shall. I am beaten, and I give up."
"But you said you would forgive everything but the deceit andfalsehood."
"Yes, everything."
"There is no deceit and falsehood to forgive."
"What?"
"Dexter has told me everything. The simple truth."
"But he should have told it before, and said he took the boat."
"He told the truth in every respect, papa."
"My dear Helen," said the doctor pettishly, "you are as obstinate as Iam. The lying young dog--"
"Hush, papa, stop!" said Helen gently. "Dexter is quite truthful, I amsure."
"That is your weak woman's heart pleading for him," said the doctor."No, my dear, no; it will not do."
"I am quite certain, papa," said Helen firmly, "that he spoke thetruth."
"How do you know, my dear?"
"Because Dexter told me again and again before he went up to bed."
"And you believe him?"
"Yes, and so will you."
"Wish I could," said the doctor earnestly. "I'd give a hundred poundsto feel convinced."
"You shall be convinced for less than that, papa," said Helen merrily."Give me a kiss for my good news."
"There's the kiss in advance, my dear. Now, where is the news?"
"Here, papa. If Dexter were the hardened boy you try to make him--"
"No, no: gently. He makes himself one."
"--he would have gone up to bed to-night careless and indifferent aftershedding a few fictitious tears--"
"Very likely."
"--and be sleeping heartily by now."
"As he is, I'll be bound," cried the doctor energetically.
"Of course, I may be wrong," said Helen, "but Dexter strikes me as beingso sensitive a boy--so easily moved, that, I am ready to say, I am surethat he is lying there half-heartbroken, crying bitterly, now he isalone."
"I'll soon prove that," said the doctor sharply; and, crossing the roomin his slippers, he silently lit a candle and went upstairs to Dexter'sdoor, where he stood listening for a few minutes, to find that all wasperfectly still. Then turning the handle quietly, he entered, and itwas quite half an hour before he came out.
"Well, papa?" said Helen, as the doctor returned to the drawing-room.
"You're a witch, my dear," he said.
"I was right?"
"You always are, my dear."
"And you will not send him back to the Union schools!"
"Send him back!" said the doctor contemptuously.
"Nor have him apprenticed?" said Helen, with a laughing light in hereyes.
"Have him ap--Now that's too bad, my dear," cried the doctor. "Danbywill laugh at me enough. You need not join in. Poor boy! I'm glad Iwent up."
There was a pause, during which the doctor sat back in his chair.
"Do you know, my dear, I don't feel very sorry that the young dog wentoff."
"Not feel sorry, papa!"
"No, my dear. It shows that the young rascal has plenty of energy andspirit and determination."
"I hope you did not tell him so!"
"My dear child, what do you think me?" cried the doctor testily. "Bythe way, though, he seems to thoroughly see through his companion'scharacter now. I can't help wishing that he had given that confoundedyoung cad a sound thrashing."
"Papa!"
"Eh? No, no: of course not," said the doctor. "I was only thinkingaloud."
Helen sat over her work a little longer, feeling happier than she hadfelt since Dexter left the house; and then the lights were extinguished,and father and daughter went up to bed.
The doctor was very quiet and thoughtful, and he stopped on the stairs.
"Helen, my dear," he whispered, "see the women-servants first thing inthe morning, and tell them I strictly forbid any allusion whatever to bemade to Dexter's foolish prank."
Helen nodded.
"I'll talk to the men myself," he said. "And whatever you do, make MrsMillett hold her tongue. Tut--tut--tut! Now, look at that!"
He pointed to a tumbler on a little papier-mache tray standing atDexter's door.
"Never mind that, dear," said Helen, smiling. "I dare say it is onlycamomile-tea, and it show
s that the poor boy has not lost his place indear old Millett's heart."
Helen kissed her father, and stopped at her own door feeling half-amusedand half-tearful as she saw the old man go on tiptoe to Dexter's room,where, with the light of the candle shining on his silver hair andbeard, he tapped gently with his knuckles.
"Asleep, Dexter?"
There was a faint "No, sir!" from within.
"Make haste and go to sleep," said the doctor. "Good-night, my boy.God bless you!"
Helen saw him smile as he turned away from the door, and it may havebeen fancy, but she thought she saw a glistening as of moisture in onecorner of his eye.
"Poor Dexter!" she said softly, as she entered her room, while the boy,as he lay there in the cool, soft sheets, utterly wearied out, butrestless and feverish with excitement, felt the doctor's last wordssend, as it were, a calm, soothing, restful sensation through his brain,and five minutes later he was sleeping soundly, and dreaming that someone bent over him, and said, "Good-night. God bless you!" once again.