Paul helped Harry Nolan stand. The teacher took a few slow steps with Paul holding his arm. "How does that feel, Harry?"
"Good to move around," the younger man muttered. He made it to the armchair and Paul helped him sit down.
There was a knock on the door, and Marian opened it to find Mike and Mitch Devlin standing there. "Good afternoon, Marian," Mike said. "We were wondering how Mr. Nolan was doing."
"Paul just helped him get up. He's doing better," she said.
"Do you think he could have visitors?" Mike asked.
Marian hesitated. "Let me ask Paul."
They stayed at the door and heard her murmur to Paul. Then Paul opened the door. "Hello, Mike. It'll be good for Harry to have a visitor, but don't stay too long."
Mike hesitated. "Mitch has something to tell Mr. Nolan."
Paul looked down at Mitch who was studying his shoes. "Is this about the explosion at school?"
Mitch looked up at the doctor and then down at his shoes "Yes, sir, it is. It was me and Seth. We told Sheriff Coffee, and he said I had to tell Mr. Nolan and apologize. And if there was anything he wanted me to do I was to do it." He stole a quick look at Dr. Martin, and wasn't surprised to see a frown on the man's face. The doctor opened his mouth as if he were going to say something, then thought better of it, and stepped back, opening the door wider.
The Devlins came in and stood in front of Mr. Nolan.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Nolan," Mitch said.
The teacher looked at Mitch, and nodded.
Mitch took a deep breath. "Pa and me came by to see how you're doing, Mr. Nolan."
Harry was silent, and Mitch took a deep breath. Better get it over with, he thought. "Mr. Nolan, I'm real sorry you got hurt. It was me and...no, I can't tell on Seth...it was me. It was a firecracker and it was just supposed to make a loud bang and scare the girls. We...I didn't know it would blow up the stove. I told Sheriff Coffee. He said I should do anything you want me to do..." The words petered out, and Mitch fell silent, waiting to see what his teacher would say.
There was an awkward silence, and then Harry Nolan said, "Was Seth involved, too?"
Mitch stared down at the floor. Mike squeezed his shoulder, and he mumbled, "Yessir."
"How about Joe Cartwright?" Mr. Nolan asked.
Mitch shook his head quickly. "Oh, no, sir. Joe wasn't in school when we planned it, and then before I could tell him about it, he said that his Pa had told him he couldn't be involved in anymore foolishness. Joe didn't know anything about it."
Harry considered the boy's words, and then closed his eyes. "Thank you for telling me, Mitch. I'm tired and I need to rest."
Mitch looked up at his father, and Mike put a hand on his shoulder and they backed away. "What should I do now, Pa?"
Mike shook his head. "Nothing, son. You've done what you could for now."
...
It was night, and Paul had helped Harry back to bed. He lay there, thinking over Mitch's confession that afternoon. There was a sound outside, and Harry Nolan opened his eyes to see a small figure climbing through the window of his room. His lamp was turned down low, but he recognized Seth Green. The child moved quietly towards him. "Seth."
"Mr. Nolan, I'm so sorry." The boy began to sob, and, in spite of himself, Harry felt sorry for him. He put a hand out to Seth, and the boy came to him. "It was supposed to be funny. It was just supposed to make a loud noise, not explode the stove." He buried his face in his teacher's shoulder, and Harry rubbed his back until he was calmer. As he sniffed and wiped his nose with his sleeve, Harry asked, "Where's your father, Seth?"
The boy shrugged. "He travels a lot for his job, Mr. Nolan."
They both jumped as the door swung open, and Paul and Marian Martin stood in the doorway with a lamp. "Seth? What are you doing here, son?"
Seth sniffed and was quiet. Harry glanced at him, and spoke up, "Seth just wanted to see how I was doing."
"Does your mother know where you are?" Marian asked.
Seth shook his head, and Paul said, "Well, it's too late for you to be out. Come with me and I'll take you home."
Seth followed the doctor out, and Marian came into the room. She adjusted the covers on Harry's bed. "Guilty conscience?" she asked.
"Yes," He shook his head, "Mitch and Seth...you know if those boys put half as much thought into their studies as they do into their pranks, they'd be at the top of their classes."