ou know what we are going to do with the chalk,
you will not let us have the money."

"Then," replied their mother, "you think what you want to do is
wrong. I, perhaps, ought to insist upon your telling me what you
want of the chalk. I love to give you every innocent pleasure, and
what is right for you to do I think I may know about. However, if
you will assure me it is for nothing wrong that you want the chalk,
I will ask no more questions, and give you the money."

"We do not mean to do any great harm with it," said Harry. "Still I
am afraid you will not quite like to have us do it, mothers are so
much more particular than boys, you know."

"Try and see if we disagree about this matter," said their mother.

"Shall I tell?" said Harry to Frank.

"Yes," he replied. "It is no such dreadful affair. Let's tell mother
all about it. You know, she said the other day that she remembered
when she was a boy."

They all laughed at this often quoted blunder, and Harry began: "You
see, Mother, that yesterday John Green contrived, while we were in
school, and engaged in doing our lessons, to make a great B on
Frank's and my back, with a piece of chalk. John is a good hand at
such things, and he did it so nicely, that the master did not see
him, and neither of us saw the B on the other. When we went out to
play, all the boys cried out, "B for blockhead, B for blunderbuss, B
for booby," and so on, ever so many other names beginning with B,
and kept pointing at us. At last, I saw Frank's mark, and he saw
mine. I can tell you we were both angry enough. Now we want to be
revenged on John Green, and have a capital plan. You see he will be
on his guard, and we must be very cunning. To-morrow is exhibition
day, and he will have on his best dark-green jacket, and Frank and I
are to sit one on each side of him. You see he is really a dunce
about every thing but playing tricks; and, when he is asked a
question, he will be scared out of his senses, and not know what to
say. Now Frank is going to pretend to help him, while I write Dunce
in large letters on the stupid fellow's back. John will not know
what I am doing, I am sure; and, as he is a real dunce, it will make
a good laugh; every one will think he is well served, and the whole
school will make fun of him."

"So," said Mrs. Chilton, "you acknowledge that you are planning a
piece of revenge."

"Why, yes, Mother," replied Frank; "I suppose you would think it
ought to be called re