"Just what I say," was Tip's cool reply.

"Do you pretend to say that _I_ make fun of the Bible?"

"Humph! Didn't I hear you?"

"No," said Ellis, in a heat, "you _didn't_! and I'd thank you not to say so neither."

"Well, now," said Tip, "I'll leave it to any boy here if you didn't. When a fellow takes a thing in the Bible and twists it around, and makes believe it means some little silly thing that it don't mean at all, I call that making fun."

"Poh!" said Howard, coming to the rescue of his friend. "What a fuss you're making about nothing. You're getting wise, aren't you, Tip? Ellis was only saying that verse in fun, just as lots of people do. I've heard good men quote the Bible and laugh over it."

"Can't help that," said Tip boldly; "I say it's wicked, and Ellis Holbrook's father says so too. I heard him tell Will Bailey once that folks ought to be very careful how they said things that were in the Bible.'

"Did he tell you to go around preaching for him through the week? How much does he pay you for your services? Come, let's hear."

This was said in Will Bailey's most disagreeable tone. Before Tip had time to answer, Ellis spoke again.

"Well, I don't pretend to be as good as some people are, but I really can't see any awful wickedness in anything that I've said to-night."

"Neither can anybody else, except Tip," said Will, "and he's good, you know; he never does anything wrong, except to tell lies and swear, or some little matters."

Ellis was an honest boy. "No," he said gravely, "there is no use in saying what isn't true, for the sake of helping my side along. Tip don't do either of those things now-a-days, I believe; but I'm sure I don't thank him for his good opinion of me."

Howard was glad at this moment to hear the tea-bell peal through the house, for the boys were growing cross. Most of them had been so astonished at the bold stand which Tip had taken, that they said nothing, only gathered round, and waited to see what would come next.

Howard sprang up. "There's something I, for one, am ready for. Come, boys;" and he led the way to the dining-room. Oh, that dining-room, with its bright lights and splendid table, was such a wonderful sight to Tip!

It was a very nice birthday supper,--plates of warm biscuit, platters of cold chicken, dishes of beautiful honey, silver cake-baskets, filled with heavily-frosted cake. Tip, for one, had never seen such a sight in his life before, and he was so bewildered with the dazzle and glitter that he didn't know which way to turn.

"Howard," said Mrs. Minturn, turning to her son, after she had welcomed his friends, "do you want your father to take the head of the table, or would you and the boys prefer having the room to yourselves?"

"No, ma'am," answered Howard, with energy; "we want you and father _both_. I guess I want _you_ to my party, whoever else I have."

Tip watched the bright light on Howard's face with surprise. How much he seemed to love his mother, and how much she loved him! how queer it was!

The supper was a great success; the boys forgot their excitement and ill-humour, and enjoyed everything.

It was almost nine o'clock, the hour when it was generally understood that the party was to break up. The boys had been very merry all the evening; the discussion which had taken place just before tea seemed to have been forgotten, save by Ellis, who, genial and hearty enough with the others, was cold and haughty to Tip. Still, they kept apart, and the fun had gone on famously. There was a sudden lull in the uproar when Mr.

Minturn opened the door.

"Are the walls left?" he asked, coming forward.

"The _walls_?" said Ellis inquiringly; "why, sir, did you expect to miss them?"

"Well, I had some such fears, but I see they're all right. What are you up to?"

"Ellis was telling a story, that's what we were laughing at when you came in," said Howard. "Go on, El--never mind father, he likes to hear stories."

"No," said Ellis, blushing crimson; "I think I'll be excused."

"Go ahead," said Mr. Minturn; "I'm very fond of stories."

"I was only telling, sir, how Joe Barnes talked to his father when I was down there this morning."

"Yes, and, father, you'd be perfectly astonished to hear him," chimed in Howard. "I never heard a fellow go on so in my life; he makes fun of every single thing his father says."

"Do you think there is anything very surprising in that?" asked Mr.

Minturn coolly.

"Surprising! I guess you'd think so. Why, when his father is talking to him real soberly, he mimics him, and laughs right in his face."

"But I shouldn't suppose you would think there was anything strange about that."

The boys looked puzzled. "Why, Mr. Minturn!" said Ellis; "wouldn't you think it strange if Howard should do so?"

"Well, no; I don't know that I should have any reason to be astonished."

Howard looked not only surprised, but very much hurt. "I'm sure, father,"

he said, in a voice which trembled a little, "I didn't know I was so rude to you as all that."

"No," said Mr. Minturn, "you never have been, but I rather expect you to commence. I shall have no reason to be surprised if you and Ellis and Will Bailey, and a host of others, all go to making fun of what your fathers say to you after this."

The boys seemed perfectly astonished. "_I_, for one," said Ellis Holbrook proudly, "think too much of _my_ father, to be in any such danger."

"You _do_?" said Mr. Minturn; "well, now, I _am_ amazed. I supposed you would be the very worst one."

Howard left the table and came over to where his father had seated himself.

"Father, what _do_ you mean?" he asked, in an earnest, anxious tone.

"Why, I mean," said his father, "that I was in that room over there just before tea, and I heard the discussion which came up between you boys, and I came to the conclusion that boys who thought it such a little matter to make fun of solemn words which G.o.d has said to them, need not be expected to show much respect for what their father or anybody else said."

A perfect stillness settled over the boys at these words, and not only Ellis Holbrook's cheeks, but his whole face glowed.

Howard came to the rescue at last, very stammeringly: "But, father--I don't think--do you think--I mean--well, sir, you know Ellis and the rest of us didn't mean to make fun of what G.o.d said. Don't you think that makes a difference?"

"I don't know, I'm sure. How do you know that Joe Barnes means to make fun of what his father says?"

"He acts like it," Howard said.

"Exactly; and so do you, every one of you, except Tip. I don't say, boys, that you are all going to be disrespectful to your elders after this; I only say I don't see why your earthly friends should expect more reverence from you than you give to G.o.d."

Boys and man were all silent for a little after that, until Mr. Minturn broke the stillness by repeating reverently, "'Enter ye in at the strait gate.' I guess you all know what that means. I would like to know whether there is a boy here who thinks he has entered in at that gate."

How still the room was while he waited for his answer! Tip could feel his heart throb--throb--with loud, distinct beats; twice he tried to break the silence, and couldn't. At last he found voice: "I do, sir."

Mr. Minturn turned quickly. "What makes you think so, Tip?"

"Because I love Jesus, and I'm trying to do what He says."