Elder brothers are apt to be a little hard on younger ones , so it is not surprising that Frank , who was an eminently proper boy , was much cut up when Jack publicly confessed to dealings with Jerry , leaving it to be supposed that the worst half of the story remained untold . He felt it his duty , therefore , to collar poor Jack when he came out , and talk to him all the way home , like a judge bent on getting at the truth by main force . A kind word would have been very comforting , but the scolding was too much for Jack 's temper , so he turned dogged and would not say a word , though Frank threatened not to speak to him for a week . At tea-time both boys were very silent , one looking grim , the other excited . Frank stared sternly at his brother across the table , and no amount of marmalade sweetened or softened that reproachful look . Jack defiantly crunched his toast , with occasional slashes at the butter , as if he must vent the pent-up emotions which half distracted him . Of course , their mother saw that something was amiss , but did not allude to it , hoping that the cloud would blow over as so many did if left alone . But this one did not , and when both refused cake , this sure sign of unusual perturbation made her anxious to know the cause . As soon as tea was over , Jack retired with gloomy dignity to his own room , and Frank , casting away the paper he had been pretending to read , burst out with the whole story . Mrs. Minot was as much surprised as he , but not angry , because , like most mothers , she was sure that her sons could not do anything very bad . `` I will speak to him ; my boy wo n't refuse to give me some explanation , '' she said , when Frank had freed his mind with as much warmth as if Jack had broken all the ten commandments . `` He will . You often call me obstinate , but he is as pig-headed as a mule ; Joe only knows what he saw , old tell-tale ! and Jerry has left town , or I 'd have it out of him . Make Jack own up , whether he can or not . Little donkey ! '' stormed Frank , who hated rowdies and could not forgive his brother for being seen with one . `` My dear , all boys do foolish things sometimes , even the wisest and best behaved , so do n't be hard on the poor child . He has got into trouble , I 've no doubt , but it can not be very bad , and he earned the money to pay for his prank , whatever it was . '' Mrs. Minot left the room as she spoke , and Frank cooled down as if her words had been a shower-bath , for he remembered his own costly escapade , and how kindly both his mother and Jack had stood by him on that trying occasion .
So , feeling rather remorseful , he went off to talk it over with Gus , leaving Jill in a fever of curiosity , for Merry and Molly had dropped in on their way home to break the blow to her , and Frank declined to discuss it with her , after mildly stating that XXXXX was `` a ninny , '' in his opinion .
Elder Frank Jack Jerry Joe Minot commandments left shower-bath week