Johnny helped him to remount.  Scarcely a word passed on their homeward way beyond a comment or two on poor Bounce, who had strained her near shoulder in her plunging battle for life and was all but exhausted.  At the Parsonage door they parted, still in silence, and Johnny led the mare off to stable.  He did not know if Mr. Wesley had observed his emotion, and his own heart was too full of love and remorse for any words.

But an hour later word came to him by Kezzy that her father wished to speak with him in the study.  He went at once, wondering, and found the Rector seated as usual before his manuscripts, but alone.

“My lad,” he began kindly, “you saved my life to-day.”

Johnny attempted to speak, but could not.

“I know what you would say.  We owe one another something, eh?  But this is a debt which I choose to acknowledge at once.  None the less I wish you to understand that although your conduct to-day hastens my proposal, it has been in my head for some time.  Whitelamb, would you like to go to Oxford?”

Johnny gasped.  “Sir—­sir!” he stammered.

Mr. Wesley smiled.  “I will speak to Jack.  I think it can be managed if he will take you for his pupil, as no doubt he will.  You cannot well be poorer than I was on the day when I entered my name at Exeter College.  There, go away and think it over!  There’s no hurry, you understand:  if you are to go, I must first of all hammer some Greek into you—­eh?  What is it?”

For Johnny had cast himself on his knees, and was sobbing aloud.

At supper Molly, to whom her mother had whispered the news, announced it to her sisters, who knew only of the accident and Johnny’s hand in the rescue.

“Yes,” said she, “we are all proud of him, and shall be prouder before long, when he goes to Oxford!”

“Why to Oxford?” asked Patty, not comprehending, and sought her mother’s eyes for the interpretation.  Mrs. Wesley smiled.

“Why, to be a great man,” Molly went on; “perhaps in time as great as Jack or Charles.”  Johnny, in his usual seat by the chimney-corner, detected the challenge in her tone, but did not look up.

“Is it true?” persisted Patty.  He stared into the fire, blushing furiously.

“It is true.”  Mrs. Wesley rose, and stepping to him laid a hand on his straggling dark hair.  “What is more, he has deserved it, not to-day only but by his goodness over many years.  The Lord shall be his illumination,” she said gravely, quoting the motto of the University which (amazing thought!) was to be his University.  “May the light of His countenance rest upon you, dear son.”

She had never called him by that title before.  He caught her hand and for the moment, in the boldness of a great love, clasped it between his own.  Now he could look across at Molly:  and she nodded back at him, her eyes brimful—­but behind her tears they gave him absolution and released him from the doubt.