Crow laughed at me when I appealed to him; and the other fellows reminded me that as they had not the pleasure of knowing my pet gaol-bird they were afraid they couldn't tell him what I had done, much as they would like.
Flanagan alone treated it seriously.
"Batchelor," said he, "I never believed you were such a fool.

Can't you see you're only making things worse by your fuss?
Why can't you hold your tongue?
Smith has little enough to thank you for as it is." He had indeed! As I walked home that evening, I felt as if I would never dare to look him in the face again.
It was late when I reached Beadle Square.

Jack had returned before me, and was fast asleep in bed.

A candle burned beside him, and on the counterpane, as if dropped from his hand, lay a book--a Roman History.
I groaned as I looked at him, and envied him his quiet sleep, the reward of honest work and a good conscience.

I crept into bed that night as silently as I could, for fear of waking him.
The next few days I was on thorns.