he knows better."

"I will talk to him," said Margaret, "and, indeed, I think it would be
better than worrying papa."

"Well," said Ethel, "of course I shan't tell, because it is not my
business, but I think papa ought to know everything about us, and I
don't like your keeping anything back. It is being almost as bad as Tom
himself."

With which words, as Flora entered, Ethel marched out of the room in
displeasure, and went down, resolved to settle Jane Sparks by herself.

"Ethel is out of sorts to-day," said Flora. "What's the matter?"

"We have had a discussion," said Margaret. "She has been terribly
shocked by finding out what we have often thought about poor little Tom,
and she thinks we ought to tell papa. Her principle is quite right, but
I doubt--"

"I know exactly how Ethel would do it!" cried Flora; "blurt out all on
a sudden, 'Papa, Tom cheats at his lessons!' then there would be a
tremendous uproar, papa would scold Tom till he almost frightened him
out of his wits, and then find out it was only suspicion."

"And never have any comfort again," said Margaret. "He would always
dread that Tom was deceiving him, and then think it was all for want
of--Oh, no, it will never do to speak of it, unless we find out some
positive piece of misbehaviour."

"Certainly," said Flora.

"And it would do Tom no good to make him afraid of papa," said Richard.

"Ethel's rule is right in principle," said Margaret thoughtfully, "that
papa ought to know all without reserve, and yet it will hardly do in
practice. One must use discretion, and not tease him about every
little thing. He takes them so much to heart, that he would be almost
distracted; and, with so much business abroad, I think at home he should
have nothing but rest, and, as far as we can, freedom from care and
worry. Anything wrong about the children brings on the grief so much,
that I cannot bear to mention it."

Richard and Flora agreed with her, admiring the spirit which made her,
in her weakness and helplessness, bear the whole burden of family cares
alone, and devote herself entirely to spare her father. He was, indeed,
her first object, and she would have sacrificed anything to give him
ease of mind; but, perhaps, she regarded him more as a charge of
her own, than as, in very truth, the head of the family. She had the
government in her hands, and had never been used to see him exercise it
much in detail (she did not know how much her mother had referr