Dick felt that a plea was to be made on his behalf, but could
not hear what followed.

'Please, sir, if you won't cane him very much I'll give you this,' said
Kitty.

The bribe was a small brooch that had originally contained the letters of
the little girl's first name. It was a very cheap brooch when new, and
now some of the letters were gone and the gilt was worn off, but it was
still a priceless treasure in Kitty's eyes. Joel Ham examined the gift,
and then looked down upon the petitioner, his face pulled sideways into
its familiar withered grin.

Do you know this is bribery, little Miss Grey,' he said, 'bribery and
corruption?'

Ye-es, please, sir,' said Kitty.

'And do you know that that fellow up there is a monster of infamy, a
rebel and a riotous blackguard, who must be repressed in the interests of
peace and good government?'

'Yes, please, sir; but--but he's only a little fellow.' The master's
tremendous words seemed to call for this reminder.

Joel screwed his grin down another wrinkle or two.

'Yet you intercede for the ruffian try to buy him off, and at a
valuation, too, that proves you to be deaf to the voice of reason and
utterly improvident.'

'Oh, Mr. Ham, he didn't mean it--really, he didn't mean it!

Joel screwed out another wrinkle. His mirth always increased wrinkle by
wrinkle, until at times it appeared as if he were actually going to screw
his own neck by sheer force of repressed hilarity.

'I am incorruptible, Miss Grey,' he said. 'Take back your precious jewel;
but I promise you this, my dear, our friend Dick shall not get as much as
he deserves. Boys are like some metals, Miss Kitty, their temper is
improved by hammering.'

Kitty left the master, entirely in the dark as to the effect of her
intercession; but evidently it was not of much advantage to Dick. When
the boy came from the school about half an hour later, he carried his
chin high, his lips were compressed tightly, and he stared straight
ahead. Three faithful friends who had waited to know the worst joined
him, but no words were spoken. They followed at his heels, showing by
their silence due respect for a profound emotion. Dick did not make for
home; he turned off to the right and led the way down into one of the
large quarries on the flat, and there turned a flushed face and a pair of
flashing eyes upon his mates.

'I'm going to have it out of Ham,' he said. 'I don't care! He's a dog,
and he ain't goin' to do as he lik