“I will tell you, mama, as well as I can,” he said, “and then you must tell me what I ought to do.  You know, mamma, I went out to walk with the rest the afternoon after that party at Mr. Carleton’s; for if you remember, I had stayed at home the night before, and gone to bed very early, and so I felt pretty well and able to walk.  But Elsie was not with us.  I don’t know where she could have been; she always thinks of my lameness, and walks slowly when I am along, but this time they all walked so fast that I soon grew very tired, indeed, with trying to keep up.  So I sat down on a log to rest.  Well, mamma, I had not been there very long when I heard voices near me, on the other side of some bushes, that, I suppose, must have prevented them from seeing me.  One voice was Arthur’s, but the other I didn’t know.  I didn’t want to be listening, but I was too tired to move on; so I whistled a little, to let them know I was there; they didn’t seem to care, though, but went on talking quite loud, so loud that I could not help hearing almost every word; and so I soon learned that Arthur owed Dick Percival a gambling debt—­a debt of honor, they called it—­and had sent this other boy, whom Arthur called Bob, to try to collect it.  He reminded Arthur that he had promised to pay that day, and said Dick must have it to pay some debts of his own.

“Arthur acknowledged that he had promised, expecting to borrow the money from somebody.  I didn’t hear the name, and it never struck me until this moment who it was; but it must have been Elsie, for I recollect he said she wouldn’t lend him anything without telling Horace all about it, and that, you know, is Mr. Dinsmore’s name; and I have found out that Arthur is very much afraid of him; almost more than of his father, I think.

“He talked very angrily, saying he knew that was only an excuse, because she didn’t wish to do him a favor, and he’d pay her for it some day.  Then they talked about the debt again, and finally the boy agreed that Dick would wait until New Year’s Day, when Arthur said he would receive his monthly allowance, and so would certainly be able to pay it.

“Now, mamma,” concluded Herbert, “what ought I to do?  Do you think it is my duty to tell Arthur’s father?”

“Yes, Herbert, I do,” said Mrs. Carrington, “because it is very important that he should know of his son’s evil courses, that he may put a stop to them; and besides, if Arthur should escape punishment this time, Elsie may be in danger from him again.  I am sorry it happened to be you rather than some other person who overheard the conversation; but it cannot be helped, and we must do our duty always, even though we find it difficult and disagreeable, and feel afraid that our motives may be misconstrued.”

Herbert drew a deep sigh.

“Well, mamma, must I go just now, to tell him?” he asked, looking pale and troubled.

Mrs. Carrington seemed to be considering the matter for a moment.