t I wanted to be quiet, and to enjoy my present surroundings
without interruption? No, surely, for Tom's company had always been
pleasant to me, and I could not look upon him as a stranger.

Why was it, then, that I felt almost sorry that he had followed me here?
I had a suspicion of the right answer to that question, but I did not
own it, even to myself, till I entered my lodging.

Duncan was reading a chapter aloud to Polly, as he always did before
going to bed. He stopped when he saw me come in, but I said, 'Go on,
Duncan, never mind me; I shall like to listen.' And the very first words
that Duncan read seemed to me to contain the answer to my question.

'He that is ashamed of Me and of My words, of him shall the Son of Man
be ashamed.'

Yes, that was the reason. I was sorry that Tom had come, because I was
ashamed of my Master. Since I had seen him last I had changed my
service. I used to be a servant of sin, living for self, pleasing self
in all things. Now, I had crossed the line, I had joined the company of
Christ's servants, and I was afraid of Tom finding it out.

In London I thought I should have seen less of him, and it would have
dawned on him gradually; but here he would discover it at once. And I
dreaded his doing so. Yes, I was a downright coward, ashamed of the One
who had died for me. This was not a comfortable reflection, but I was
convinced that it was the truth.

What would be the best thing to do? Should I say anything to Tom about
it in the morning? I thought at first that I would speak, and I made up
several sentences with which I meant to begin; but the more I thought of
it so much the more my heart failed me, and I decided at length that my
best plan would be to let Tom find it out for himself.

Chapter XI

LITTLE JACK AND BIG JACK

I think Tom very much enjoyed that week at Runswick Bay. The more he saw
of the place the more he liked it. He and Duncan got on famously
together. They smoked together on a seat above the house, and Duncan
told him stories of shipwrecks and storms, whilst I sat painting just
below them.

One night he even persuaded Duncan to let him go out with him fishing,
and Duncan confided to me afterwards, 'That there friend of yours, sir,
he's a real handy chap; knows how to use his fingers, sir, and isn't
afraid of a drop of salt water neither.'

We came across Mr. Christie on the shore the very first time that we
went out together, and I introduced him a