"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.