is spirits, as the
slow week went by, and no word from him had cleared up the mystery.

Chapter XIV. And Jill Finds It Out

Jill worried about it more than he did, for she was a faithful little
friend, and it was a great trial to have Jack even suspected of doing
anything wrong. School is a child's world while he is there, and its
small affairs are very important to him, so Jill felt that the one thing
to be done was to clear away the cloud about her dear boy, and restore
him to public favor.

"Ed will be here Saturday night and may be he will find out, for Jack
tells him everything. I do hate to have him hectored so, for I know he
is, though he's too proud to complain," she said, on Thursday evening,
when Frank told her some joke played upon his brother that day.

"I let him alone, but I see that he isn't badgered too much. That's all
I can do. If Ed had only come home last Saturday it might have done
some good, but now it will be too late; for the reports are given out
to-morrow, you know," answered Frank, feeling a little jealous of Ed's
influence over Jack, though his own would have been as great if he had
been as gentle.

"Has Jerry come back?" asked Jill, who kept all her questions for Frank,
because she seldom alluded to the tender subject when with Jack.

"No, he's off for the summer. Got a place somewhere. Hope he'll stay
there and let Bob alone."

"Where is Bob now? I don't hear much about him lately," said Jill, who
was constantly on the lookout for "the other fellow," since it was not
Joe.

"Oh, he went to Captain Skinner's the first of March, chores round, and
goes to school up there. Captain is strict, and won't let Bob come to
town, except Sundays; but he don't mind it much, for he likes horses,
has nice grub, and the Hill fellows are good chaps for him to be with.
So he's all right, if he only behaves."

"How far is it to Captain Skinner's?" asked Jill suddenly, having
listened, with her sharp eyes on Frank, as he tinkered away at his
model, since he was forbidden all other indulgence in his beloved
pastime.

"It's four miles to Hill District, but the Captain lives this side of
the school-house. About three from here, I should say."

"How long would it take a boy to walk up there?" went on the questioner,
with a new idea in her head.

"Depends on how much of a walkist he is."

"Suppose he was lame and it was sloshy, and he made a call and came
back. How long would that take?" ask