, you must be suspended from the
Gridley High School!"

As soon as the door had closed Dick half-tottered back into his
room. He did not close the door, but crossed to the window, where
he stood looking out upon a world that had darkened fearfully.

Then, without having heard a step, Dick Prescott felt his mother's
arms enfold him.

CHAPTER IX

LAURA BENTLEY IS WIDE AWAKE

Suspended!

That did not mean expulsion, but it did mean that, until the school
authorities had taken definite action on the case, young Prescott
could not again attend H.S., or any other school under the control
of the Board of Education.

The five other partners of Dick & Co. had faced the school defiantly
when taking Dick's books from his desk and strapping them to bring
home.

Dan Dalzell thrashed a sophomore for daring to make some allusion
to Prescott's "thefts." Tom Reade tried to thrash another sophomore
for a very similar offense, but Reade got whipped by a very small
margin. That fact, however, did not discourage Reade. He had
entered his protest, anyway.

Dave Darrin extracted apologies for remarks made, from three different
sophomores. All of the partners were diligent in protecting and
defending the reputation of their chief.

Every day the "Co." came to see Dick. They made it a point, too,
to appear on the street with him. Not one member of the football
team "went back on" the suspended freshman. All treated him with
the utmost cordiality and faith wherever they met him. Laura
Bentley and some of the other girls of Dick's class stood by him
unwaveringly by chatting with the suspended freshman whenever
and wherever they met him on the street.

"Pooh, old man, a fellow who has all the brains you displayed
in making that football stroke doesn't need larceny as an aid
to getting ahead in the world," was the way Frank Thompson put
it.

"Thank you, Thompson. It's always good to have friends," smiled
Dick, wistfully. "But, just now, I appreciate them more than
ever."

"The football team and its best friends are giving Fred Ripley
the dead cut," pursued Thompson. "And say, you know the junior
class's dance comes off the night after tomorrow night. Juniors
are always invited, but members of other classes have to depend
on favor for invitations. We've fixed it so that Ripley couldn't
get an invite. He tried, though. Now, Prescott, you'll receive
an invitation in tomorrow morning's mail. Fix it to be th