you refused my
invitation. Were you afraid of offending your uncle?"

"No, sir."

"What, then?" Mr. Murray said, looking stern. "Tell me just the
truth."

"I don't think my cousins wanted us to go; I felt that they wouldn't
have been kind to us; and I am sure Aunt Gregory would have been
displeased. I did not think we should have been happy, sir, I'm sure
Eddie would have been miserable after what he said."

"What did Eddie say?" Mr. Murray asked.

"If you please, sir, I'd rather not tell you: he wouldn't like it,"
Bertie replied, looking quite troubled at the turn the conversation
was taking.

"But I want to know, and I must know; tell me this moment what Eddie
said. Am I not your father's old friend? Go on, boy."

Mr. Murray looked so angry, and his eyes flashed so under his shaggy
knitted brows, that Bertie was quite frightened.

"Eddie said he did not like being poor or seeing people who knew him
when he was rich; and he's so clever and so proud; and he would be so
miserable if the boys treated him as they do me. So I thought if I
came back to town they wouldn't go without me," Bertie said
hurriedly. "And now, sir, please may I go back? Uncle will be so
angry; he says all office time belongs to him, and any one who wastes
a moment of it, or is late, or leaves before the clock strikes, is a
thief!" Bertie's voice fell to an awed whisper, and his ruddy cheeks
grew quite pale at the bare idea of being thought dishonest, and yet
he knew that Mr. Gregory would not spare him a bit more than any one
else; and it was half-past two, and Bertie was due back at one
o'clock.

"Do you think your time belongs to your uncle?" Mr. Murray asked
suddenly.

"Yes, sir, of course; he pays me," Bertie replied. "Please may I go
now?"

"One moment. Tell me what reward you expect for having brought that
bag here to-day."

"Reward!" Bertie stammered, looking the very picture of confusion. "I
don't know what you mean. The bag was not mine, and I managed to give
it back to the person it belonged to: that's all, sir. Why should I
be rewarded? But the cabman was so grateful, he said, 'Heaven bless
the gentleman! he's done a better turn than he knew to-day;' and he
kissed the sovereign, sir; and I'm sure there were tears in his eyes,
because he said----" Bertie stopped suddenly; perhaps he had no right
to repeat the cabby's words, spoken under the influence of sudden and
joyful excitement; but Mr. Murray commanded him to go on.