Was he willing to lie?
He had never lied to his mother in all his life.

He visualised her face as she listened to him recounting his falsified tale of the day's doings and unconsciously he groaned aloud.
"What's the matter with you, Larry ?" inquired Mop, noticing his pale face.
"Oh, nothing; it's getting a little cold, I guess." "Cold!" laughed Mop.

"I guess you're getting scared all right." To this Larry made no reply.

He was too miserable, too tired to explain his state of mind.

He was doubtful whether he could explain to Mop or to Joe his unwillingness to lie to his mother.
"It don't take much to scare you anyway," said Mop with an ugly grin.
The situation was not without its anxieties to Mop, for while he felt fairly confident as to his ability to meet successfully his mother's cross examination, there was always a possibility of his father's taking a hand, and that filled him with a real dismay.