g in your bonnet
and you're making a fool of yourself. Come along now, and give the crowd
a solar plexus."

"Dick, please don't urge. I tell you I can't go."

The crowd stood around, listening to the dialogue, giving Dick every
encouragement and signalling to Frank to give in. When the fellows saw
his stubborn stand, they resented it. It was not fair. It looked
compromising.

While they stood, thus-minded, Dick said rather timidly, "May I ask you
a question, Hank?" There were only a few boys in the Club who could call
Frank by that name. Dick was one of them.

"Certainly, kid, fire away."

"Did you have anything to do with this racket?"

"No."

"I knew it," said Dick. "That's why I asked you. Now another question.
Do you know anything about it?"

"That's another matter," said Frank.

"We know it's another matter," shouted several, "and we've got a right
to know. It concerns the bunch."

"The bunch doesn't make wrong right," fairly yelled Frank. "The bunch
doesn't make a mean thing honorable. Yes, I know about it, and that's
why I can't go. I can't say more because I have said all I can say, in
honor."

"Honor!" hissed one of the boys, "it's queer honor that will distress
Father Boone and queer a whole crowd."

By this time the racket had grown into a half riot. The voices were loud
and raucous. Their echoes reached Father Boone above. He closed his door
as he did not want to hear what was not intended for his ears. But he
had caught enough to let him know that there was a deepening mystery
about the affair, and that most of the boys were not a party to it.

Things were gradually shaping for a fight. It was clear that Frank had
taken a firm stand. It was equally clear that the crowd was not
satisfied or in sympathy with it.

Some of the larger boys did not relish his excusing himself on the
ground of honor. Fred Gibney bawled out, "You're prating a lot about
honor, Mulvy. What about the Club's honor?"

"Look here, Gibney," snapped Frank, "I have the Club's honor as much at
heart as any of you, and you know it. But just now--" his voice
quivered, "I know how you regard the matter. I suppose I'd feel the same
if I were in your place. All I can say is that I know what I know in
confidence, and I'm in honor bound. Will that satisfy you? I have said
more than I intended to, but it's because I want to go the limit to
satisfy the crowd on my stand."

"That sounds like a book speech," retorted Gibney, "and