Chapter II: What Happened Next

IT was such an unusual event for Jimmy to be absent from school that the teacher requested Ralph to go a few hundred rods out of his way, and inquire whether her scholar was sick.

When he reached the house the girl in the kitchen told him that Mr. and Mrs. Dodge were away, and would not be home till bedtime. She said she didn't know whether Jimmy went with them; but she supposed he did, if he had not been at school.

"All right!" said Ralph. "I'll tell teacher in the morning; or he can tell her himself."

But as he was leaving the house he saw his schoolmate stealing like a thief into the barn; and he at once concluded it was all wrong. This was what made him shout as he did. "I wouldn't be you, Jimmy Dodge, for the biggest kite I ever saw."

Then, little imagining how he had set Jimmy's poor sore heart thumping against his side, he ran gaily home laughing as he went.

The first thing Jimmy noticed on entering the barn was that the horse was not in his stall; but perhaps his father or the hired man was using it in the field. He walked along into the carriage house. The buggy was gone too. He gave a start of pleasure, perhaps his father and mother were absent; but "what did Ralph mean? Does he know where I've been? Did he tell Ellen anything about me?"

With a bolder step, but still carrying his burden, he walked into the hencoop, took five eggs from the nest, put them carefully into his hat and went into the kitchen.

Ellen was busy getting supper and at first scarcely noticed him; but presently she asked laughing:

"Where have you been, Master Truant?"

"What do you mean?" he asked, the blood rushing to his face.

"Why the teacher sent here to know where you'd been!"

"Who did she send by?" asked Jimmy, though he knew very well already.

"Ralph Lane. He said the teacher was afraid you were sick."

"Oh, that was some of Ralph's nonsense! He knew I was there just as well as you do."

"Nonsense or not; he'd have given your mother a pretty fright if she had been here," exclaimed Ellen laughing heartily as she went on moulding her biscuit and getting it ready for the oven.

A minute more and she had forgotten all about it. "Oh dear!" she said, "I do wish I had some short wood. My biscuit will never bake with this long stuff."

Jimmy was immensely relieved; or he thought he was, by this favorable turn in his affairs, and was very glad to do Ellen a favor.

"I'll get you some wood," he said cheerfully; and he ran to the shed where she presently heard him chopping with a will.

"I'll tell your mother what a good boy you've been," said the girl running out for an armful. "Now I'll have supper ready in a jiffy."

When the bell rang, Dexter came in; and they all sat down together. Finding Jimmy in an obliging mood the man said:

"I wish you'd get up the cows from the pasture. I've got a job in the garden I want to finish before I milk."

"Well, I will," answered Jimmy; "and I'll get in the chickens too."

"He's awful good-natured," thought Ellen as she saw him trudge off whistling, with a stick in his hand. "I hope he isn't going to die, or any such thing; but it looks dangerous to have a boy so terribly good all at once."

Jimmy was usually what would be called a good boy; that is, he obeyed his father and mother, and was obliging, and good tempered; but when his parents were away, he generally claimed the right to employ himself as he chose, feeling rather "big" as Ellen laughingly expressed it.

If he had come home from school with nothing on his conscience he would probably have rushed into the kitchen, exclaiming:

"I want my supper right away. I'm going to fly my kite; and I can't wait."

If Ellen was busy or did not wish to attend to him at the minute, he would run to the pantry, get a handful of doughnuts, or a slice of gingerbread, and be off to his play.

Jimmy did not hurry in his walk. He had made up his mind not to play. He did not feel exactly like it. He had a question to settle in his own mind; and he was glad to be alone. As he walked slowly on toward the pasture, he asked himself:

"Did I tell Ellen a lie? I didn't say I was at school."

"She understood you to say so," answered conscience. "She did not remember the words; but she supposed Ralph's call was a foolish joke; and that the teacher knew nothing about it."

"If she is stupid I am not to blame," said Jimmy stopping short and gazing in the dirt. "I don't believe 'twas a lie 'cause I didn't say I'd been to school; but I wish Ralph had minded his own business and not come here."

He had to pass by Gip's house; and the dog hearing his step rushed out again. Jimmy usually welcomed him with a hearty, "Well, old fellow," patting his head as the affectionate creature jumped on him or licked his hand; but now he felt as though Gip knew he had done wrong. Gip had seen him steal like a thief over the wall, and had tried to make him go back, and enter the yard like an honest boy. He was glad Gip could not tell what he knew.

At first he thought he wouldn't notice the dog, at all; but the faithful creature seemed so delighted to see him again that he couldn't help it; and so he invited Gip to go with him for the cows.