speak to him about his carelessness, however, and the evils which carelessness leads to."
Ruth had been dying to interrupt this speech. But she knew better. She knew that dutiful, well brought up daughters never interrupt their dear mothers—"Unless, my dear, it should happen that the house had caught fire, or something like that." But now, since Dear Mother had finished, it was obviously Ruth's turn to speak. The turns of daughters always came before the turns of sons, and of elder daughters before younger daughters.
"But we don't think he missed the train," said Ruth. "Charlie Buck said that he saw John dodging around the end of our train and boarding the other."
"What other?" asked Mrs. Eaton.
"The down train."
"But what in the name of common sense!" exclaimed Mrs. Eaton, "would John be doing on board the down train?"
"We don't know, Dear Mother. We have no idea," said Ruth. "At least Sarah and I have no idea. But perhaps you had better question the boys. Mark has been acting mysteriously."
Ruth did not like to get Mark into trouble. But she had been taught that, when the brother of a dutiful daughter acts mysteriously, it is that daughter's duty to report the fact to her dear
