JACK SHORT. 
337 
like a man, ‘Dick, I’m sorry.’ That's what 
you’ve got to do.” 
“I believe you are right, father,” said 
Jack, raising his head and looking as if a 
load were taken off his mind; “and I’ll do 
it, too!” 
“There’s a good fellow,” returned his 
father, shaking hands with him. “I am glad 
to see you in earnest, sonny; and I tell you 
again that nothing does me so much good 
as to see you trying to do right. And, as 
to your schooling, don’t fret too much about 
that. You shall go to school next winter 
if your mind is set on it; and you can be 
learning all you can in the mean time.” 
The next morning, as soon as he thought 
breakfast would be over, Jack put on his 
hat and marched resolutely up to The Mea¬ 
dows. As he passed through the gate he saw 
the deep dent made by the slate-frame, and 
shuddered at the thought it suggested; but 
it only gave him new resolution, and he 
hurried on. He rather dreaded having to 
go to the house and ask for Richard; and it 
was with a feeling of relief that, as he came 
near, he saw him engaged in training a 
clematis-vine round the window of the 
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