and matters were not improved by a
conversation which ensued in the course of the next day.

Dick was in the garden with Tom, paying court to the gooseberry trees,
for though fruit by no means abounded there, the garden always supplied
a fair amount of the commoner kinds, consequent upon the shelter
afforded from the north and bitter easterly sea-winds by the old
buildings which intervened.

"Here, I want to talk to you two," said the squire; and he led the way
into the house, where Mrs Winthorpe was seated at work, and, probably
by a preconcerted arrangement, to Dick's great disgust she rose and left
the room.

"Now," said the squire, "I don't like for there to be anything between
us, Dick; and as for you, Tom Tallington, I should be sorry to think
anything about you but that you were a frank, straightforward companion
for my son."

"I'm sure, sir--" blundered out Tom.

"Wait a minute, my lad. I have not done. Now, I'm going to ask you a
plain question, both of you, and I want a frank, manly answer. But
before I ask it, I'm going to say a few words."

He drew his tobacco-jar towards him, and took down his pipe, carefully
filled it, and laid it down again.

"Now, look here," he said. "I'm a great believer in keeping faith and
being true to one another, and looking down with contempt upon a
tale-bearer, or one who betrays a secret. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," said Tom, for Dick felt that he could not speak. "You mean,
sir, that you don't like a sneak."

"That's it," said the squire; "but I should have liked to hear you say
that, Dick. However, that is what I mean. There are times, though,
when lads have been led into connections where things are done of which
they are heartily ashamed. They have joined in them from the idea that
it was a good bit of fun, or that there was some injustice being
perpetrated, and they have, as they think, joined the weaker side. But
I want you both to see that in such cases as we have had lately it would
be weak and criminal to keep silence from the mistaken notion that it
would be cowardly to speak, and betraying friends."

Dick's face was scarlet, and his bosom swelled with emotion as he felt
choked with indignation at his father suspecting him, while he changed
countenance the more as he saw his father watching him keenly. In fact
the more innocent Dick strove to look the worse he succeeded, and the
squire seemed troubled as he went on.

"Now, my lads, as yo