"
At length, tired of waiting, and under the impression that he had
been forgotten, Jack walked to the door, and placing his hand upon
the latch, attempted to open it.
There was a greater resistance than he had anticipated.
Supposing that it must stick, he used increased exertion, but the
door perversely refused to open.
"Good heavens!" thought Jack, the real state of the case flashing
upon him, "is it possible that I am locked in?"
To determine this he employed all his strength, but the door still
resisted. He could no longer doubt.
He rushed to the windows. There were two in number, and looked out
upon a court in the rear of the house. No part of the street was
visible from them; therefore there was no hope of drawing the
attention of passers-by to his situation.
Confounded by this discovery, Jack sank into his chair in no very
enviable state of mind.
"Well," thought he, "this is a pretty situation for me to be in! I
wonder what father would say if he knew that I was locked up like a
prisoner. And then to think I let that treacherous woman, Mrs.
Hardwick, lead me so quietly into a snare. Aunt Rachel was about
right when she said I wasn't fit to come alone. I hope she'll never
find out this adventure of mine; I never should hear the last of
it."
Jack's mortification was extreme. His self-love was severely wounded
by the thought that a woman had got the better of him, and he
resolved, if he ever got out, that he would make Mrs.
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