“And now,” continued Forester, after a short pause, “it is time for me to go down, unless you have something which you wish to say.”

Although it was not unusual for Forester to close his evening conversation in this manner, Marco’s attention was particularly arrested by the excellent opportunity which this remark afforded him to make his confession.  He really wished to make it,—­but he did not know how to begin.  He wished that his cousin would ask him something about it, or introduce the subject in some way or other, but Forester was silent.  Presently he rose, came to Marco’s bedside, and asked him if he was warm enough,—­for the nights at this season of the year were beginning to be cool.

“Yes,” said Marco, “I’m very comfortable.”

“Well, then, good night.”  So Forester took the lamp and walked slowly toward the door.

“Cousin Forester,” said Marco.

“What?” said Forester.

“Don’t go just yet.”

Forester turned back and advanced to the foot of the bed.  There was a high foot-board at the foot of the bed, and Forester leaned upon it with the lamp in his hand.

“Is there any thing that you want to say to me?”

Marco was silent.  He looked distressed and embarrassed, and moved his head restlessly on his pillow.

“There’s something wrong, isn’t there, Marco,” said Forester, “that you are thinking whether to confess to me or not?  If there is, do just as you choose about it.  I like to have you confess what you have done that is wrong, but then, if you do it at all, it must be done of your own accord.”

“Well,” said Marco, “I want to tell you about my going away to play this forenoon.”

“How long were you gone?” asked Forester.

“Pretty much all the forenoon,” replied Marco.

“Well,” said Forester, “I am very glad you concluded to confess it of your own accord, but I know all about it.”

Marco started up in his bed and looked his cousin in the face, and said,

“Why, cousin Forester, how did you know?”

“To prove to you that I really did know, I will tell you what you did.  You got out of the window soon after I went away, and went over into Mr. Eldon’s garden, where George Eldon and Samuel Warner were digging worms for bait.  Then you went with them down to the river.  You hid behind them when you passed in sight of the house, for fear that father would see you, as he was out in the yard, pruning trees.  Then you went down to the river and sat on a log under some bushes, fishing.  After a while you spied an old log canoe, drifting down the river, and the other boys waded out and got it.  Then you all got into it and paddled about a while, and afterward got carried over the rips and upset in the water.  Your cap drifted down the stream, and you went after it in the canoe and got it.  After that, you took off your stockings and wrung out the water from them, and then came home.  You got into the study only about a quarter of an hour before I came.”