"
[Illustration: "HE TOLD HER ABOUT THE TROUBLE AT SCHOOL."]
"I shall not leave you till you leave me," Aunt Zelie said, smiling
rather wistfully at the tall boy.
"That will be never, and I will always take care of you," answered
Carl, laying his cheek against her hand. He told her about the trouble
at school too, finding it a relief to confess everything and she
listened gravely.
"For a little misunderstanding like this, a little hateful pride,
pleasant friendships are given up, and the good times we expected to
have in the club this winter! Have my Good Neighbors forgotten their
motto already?"
"I'm afraid so," Carl said, thinking how hard it would be to make
things right again.
"Have you told Father?" he asked.
"No, he did not come to lunch."
"Then I shall have to tell him," with a sigh.
This was not an easy thing to do. That they were the best of
companions and friends made it all the harder, for he felt he had
forfeited the right to this good-fellowship.
Carl told his story with such evident shame and repentance that,
though he listened with a grave face, Mr. Hazeltine could not find it
in his heart to be very severe.
"I did not think," he said, "that my only son could be guilty of such
a cruel and ungentlemanly act.
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