your father."

"I 'd rather be shot. I say, Polly, suppose we break it to him easy!"
added Tom, after another turn.

"How do you mean?"

"Why, suppose Fan, or, better still, you go and sort of pave the way. I
can't bear to come down on him with the whole truth at once."

"So you 'd like to have me go and tell him for you?" Polly's lip curled
a little as she said that, and she gave Tom a look that would have
shown him how blue eyes can flash, if he had seen it. But he was at the
window, and did n't turn, as he said slowly, "Well, you see, he 's
so fond of you; we all confide in you; and you are so like one of the
family, that it seems quite natural. Just tell him I 'm expelled, you
know, and as much more as you like; then I 'll come in, and we 'll have
it out."

Polly rose and went to the door without a word. In doing so, Tom caught
a glimpse of her face, and said, hastily, "Don't you think it would be a
good plan?"

"No, I don't."

"Why not? Don't you think he 'd rather have it told him nicely by you,
than blurted out as I always do blurt things?"

"I know he 'd rather have his son go to him and tell the truth, like a
man, instead of sending a girl to do what he is afraid to do himself."

If Polly had suddenly boxed his ears, Tom could n't have looked more
taken aback than by that burst. He looked at her excited face, seemed
to understand the meaning of it, and remembered all at once that he was
trying to hide behind a girl. He turned scarlet, said shortly, "Come
back, Polly," and walked straight out of the room, looking as if going
to instant execution, for poor Tom had been taught to fear his father,
and had not entirely outgrown the dread.

Polly sat down, looking both satisfied and troubled. "I hope I did
right," she said to herself, "I could n't bear to have him shirk and
seem cowardly. He is n't, only he did n't think how it seemed to me, and
I don't wonder he was a little afraid, Mr. Shaw is so severe with the
poor fellow. Oh, dear, what should we do if Will got into such scrapes.
Thank goodness, he 's poor, and can't; I 'm so glad of that!"

Then she sat silent beside the half-open door, hearing the murmur of
Tom's voice across the hall, and hoping, with all her heart, that he
would n't have a very hard time. He seemed to tell his story rapidly and
steadily, without interruption, to the end; then Polly heard Mr. Shaw's
deeper voice say a few words, at which Tom uttered a loud exclamation,
as if tak