I shall be sorry to lose the lad, for he is upright and
truthful, and has done much for the school in the way of sports and
athletics. But he is never out of mischief, and the example he sets is
simply destroying the discipline of the school. Be advised by me,
Western, and send him away. He is by no means dull at his work, and at
a school where there is more opportunity of controlling him, and where
he will be separated from his present companions in mischief, he will do
well, I feel sure, and be a credit to you."

But no amount of reasoning could convince Phil's father that his son was
all that the Doctor had said.

"He has disgraced me," he said bitterly to Joe Sweetman, "and all our
care has been thrown away. I hoped that he would grow up a quiet and
well-behaved young fellow; but he is never out of mischief, so much so
that I am now obliged to send him to a boarding-school, an institution
of which I have the greatest dislike. And I suppose he will soon be
sent away from there. I really am more than grieved, and how I shall
dare to meet his worship the mayor, after what has occurred, I do not
know!"

"Bother the mayor! He's a prig, and got what he deserved!" Joe
answered, with a sniff and a snap of his fingers. "Send Phil away and
I'll swear he'll be thankful to you. Of course I know it was foolish
and very wrong of those young monkeys to play their tricks on old
Barrington, but then you yourself know what an unpopular man he is. Did
he not try to put an end to the annual procession of the Riddington boys
through the town, on the plea that they made too much noise? That put
the youngsters' backs up; and then he must needs force his way into the
school and demand that the lad who broke his miserable window should be
caned, and in the event of his not being found that the whole school
should lose a holiday. A pig of a fellow, sir, and I'm glad Phil and
his pals paid him out."

This indignant outburst, and the roar of laughter which followed on
Joe's remembering the unhappy mayor's fright, roused Edward Western's
ire. He sat rigidly in his chair, staring blankly before him, with a
fixed expression of annoyance on his face.

"I cannot compel him to follow the profession I have chosen for him," he
said sternly, "but let him disgrace me again and I will pack him off to
London and there find a position for him as a clerk, where he will be
tied to his desk, and where he will have fewer opportunities of doi