to-morrow," said Paul,
alarmed at this sudden outburst, which he took to be a slight touch of
delirium.

"Don't leave me, Percival--don't leave me just yet!" pleaded the boy.
"I--I was forgetting myself. I'll be quieter if you'll stay with me a
little longer."

The thin fingers slipped into Paul's hand again, and clung to it
tightly.

"I'll stay with you a little longer, if you'll just do what I tell you."

"Yes, yes. What?"

"Just close your eyes and try to sleep."

Hibbert obeyed him implicitly. He closed his eyes, as though to sleep,
but still held fast to Paul's hand. In a few moments the pressure
relaxed, and he seemed to be really sleeping.

"I'll watch over him for a bit, if you like," whispered Paul to the
matron.

Mrs. Trounce looked at her patient. He seemed tranquil enough now, and
as she had other duties to attend to, she gladly availed herself of
Paul's offer.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," she whispered as she went out.

She hadn't been gone more than ten minutes before Hibbert's eyes opened
again.

"Still here, Percival? It's very kind of you." Then, looking round:
"Where's matron?"

"Gone out for a bit. I've promised to look after you. Do you want
anything?"

"No--except you. Matron's really gone?"--looking round again.

"What a suspicious chap you're getting!" smiled Paul. "Do you think
she's hiding somewhere?"

"I'm glad she's gone, Percival, because I wanted to speak to
you--alone."

"But you promised to sleep."

"Well, I've kept my promise. I've had quite a long doze."

"Very long--ten minutes."

"I can't sleep longer till I've said what I've got to say. Doesn't it
say somewhere in the Bible that we ought to confess our sins?"

Paul could now see clearly enough that there was something troubling
Hibbert, and that it would only increase the trouble if he were to
refuse to answer him. So he answered:

"Of course it does. Let me see--you must know the words as well as I
do--'If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our
sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.'"

"Yes, those are the words I was trying to think of. I remember them
quite well now. The water from the river seems to have got into my
brain, and things aren't quite so clear to me now as they used to be,
you see."

"That will come all right presently, and things will be quite as clear
to you as ever they were. But you mustn't worry, or else they won't."

"I can't help it; but I