He spoke
the words earnestly and solemnly; he meant no disrespect:
"Father, do you know more about it than God? Because, you see, it don't
say any such thing anywhere in the Bible; I know it don't, for we talked
about it in Sunday school once, and Mr. Holbrook said, 'No matter how old
a man was, nor what he had done, he could be a Christian.'"
"I always thought it looked mean and sneaking in a man to have nothing to
do with such things all his life, and then turn around just because he
was going to die, and pretend to be very good. God can't be pleased with
any such thing as _that_. I've always said that I'd never do it."
Tip couldn't answer this: it didn't sound true; he felt sure it was not
true; but he had no wisdom with which to meet it. He went to school with
those last words of his father's ringing in his heart, and his thoughts
took shape, and spoke in the very first sentence that he addressed to Mr.
Holbrook, whom he overtook as he came out of the post office:
"Mr. Holbrook, can I ask you a question?"
And the minister, always ready to help any one out of trouble, smiled and
bowed, and walked on by the side of the troubled boy.
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