"He hadn't anything to do with it,
sir. Tom has been awfully good. He only told Dave."

"Go back to your chair, Joel," said Mr. Harrow. "Now, then, David, go
on. So you went out with Beresford to find Joel, eh?"

"Yes, sir," said David faintly.

"Any other boy?" asked the under-teacher quickly.

"No, sir."

"Well, then, Tom is waiting out there, I suppose, now." Mr. Harrow got
out of his chair.

"He didn't have anything to do with it, sir," cried Joel wildly, and
flying out of his chair again, "truly he didn't."

"I understand." Mr. Harrow nodded. "I'm going to bring him in. Now it
isn't necessary to tell you two boys not to do any talking while I'm
gone." With that he went over to a corner, took down a lantern, lighted
it, and passed out.

When he came back, both Joel and David knew quite well by Tom's face,
that the whole story was out; and Joel, who understood as well as any
one that Floyd Jenkins never by any possibility could be a favorite
with instructors, any more than with the boys, unless he changed his
whole tactics, groaned again at thought that he had made matters worse
for him.

"Now all three of you scatter to bed," was all the under-teacher said as
he came in with Tom. "No talking now; get up as softly as you can. Good
night."

IV OF VARIOUS THINGS

And the next day, the story which flew all over the yard, how that Joel
Pepper was "put into Coventry" last night, was overtaken and set right.

"Huh! there, now you see," cried Van Whitney, coming out of his rage. He
had cried so that his eyes were all swollen up, and he was a sight to
behold. Percy, too miserable to say anything, and wishing he could ever
cry when he felt badly, had slunk out of sight, to bear the trouble as
well as he might. Now he came up bright and smiling. "Yes, now you see,"
he cried triumphantly.

"Oh, I hope that mean beggar Jenk will be expelled." There appeared to
be but one voice about it.

"Well, he won't," said Van.

"Won't? Why not?" The boys crowded around him on the playground, all
games being deserted for this new excitement. "Why not, pray tell?"

"Of course he will," said one boy decidedly. "Dr. Marks never'll keep
him after this."

"Yes he will too," roared Van, glad he could tell the news first, but
awfully disappointed that it must be that Jenkins was to stay, "for Joel
got Dr. Marks to promise there shouldn't anything be done to Jenk. So
there now!"

"What, not after locking that door!