And next day he felt sure he had judged Ned over-harshly.

His first impressions of people--he had had occasion to deplore the fact before now--were apt to be either dead white or black as ink; the web of his mind took on no half tints.

The boy had not betrayed any actual vices; and time might be trusted to knock the bluster out of him.

With this reflection Mahony dismissed Ned from his mind.

He had more important things to think of, chief among which was his own state with regard to Ned's sister.