ir,"--Mrs. Fox's cap-frills trembled violently as she
nodded,--"Joel Pepper was climbing up the lightning conductor, sir. And
I thought I should have dropped to see him, sir."

The under-teacher turned and surveyed Joel. "Well, I think, Mrs. Fox,"
he said slowly, "if he's been over that lightning conductor to-night, we
won't put him in Coventry."

"He wouldn't answer when I asked him if any other boys were there," said
the matron, a dull red spot coming on either cheek.

"That's bad--very bad," said Mr. Harrow. "Well, I'll take Joel under my
care. Do you go to bed, Mrs. Fox."

It was all done in a minute. Somehow Mrs. Fox never quite realized how
she was left standing alone. And as there really wasn't anything else
for her to do, she concluded to take the under-teacher's advice.

"Now, Joel,"--Mr. Harrow looked down at his charge,--"you seem to be
left for me to take care of. Well, suppose you come into my room, and
tell me something about this affair."

Joel, with his heart full of distress about David and Tom, now that the
immediate cause of alarm over his being put into "Coventry" was gone,
could scarcely conceal his dismay, as he followed Mr. Harrow to his
room. He soon found himself on a chair; and the under-teacher, setting
his candlestick down, took an opposite one.

"Do you mind telling me all about this little affair of yours, Joe?"
said Mr. Harrow, leading off easily. His manner, once away from the
presence of the matron, was as different as possible; and Joel, who had
never met him in just this way, stared in amazement.

"You see, Joe," the under-teacher went on, and he began to play with
some pencils on the table, "it isn't so very long ago, it seems to me,
since I was a boy. And I climbed lightning conductors too. I really did,
Joel."

Joel's black eyes gathered a bright gleam in their midst.

"Yes, and at night, too," said the under-teacher softly, "though I
shouldn't want you to mention it to the boys. So now, if you wouldn't
mind, Joel, I should really like to hear all about this business of
yours."

But Joel twisted his hands, only able to say, "Oh dear! I can't tell,
Mr. Harrow." His distress was dreadful to see.

"Well," said the under-teacher slowly, "perhaps in the morning you'll
feel better able to tell. I won't press it now. You must get to bed,
Joe," with a keen look at his face.

"Oh Mr. Harrow--would you--would you--" Joel jumped out of his seat, and
over to the under-teacher's