It was with much excitement and interest that the boys gathered in their
places for the first time under the new master. The boarders had not
seen him upon their arrival on the previous evening, but had been
received by an old housekeeper, who told them Mr. Porson would not
return until the coach came in from York that night.

All eyes were turned to the door as the master entered. The first
impression was that he was a younger man than they had expected. Mr.
Hathorn had been some forty-five years old; the newcomer was not
over thirty. He was a tall, loosely made man, with somewhat stooping
shoulders; he had heavy eyebrows, gray eyes, and a firm mouth. He did
not look round as he walked straight to his desk; then he turned, and
his eyes traveled quietly and steadily round the room as if scanning
each of the faces directed toward him.

"Now, boys," he said in a quiet voice, "a few words before we begin.
I am here to teach, and you are here to learn. As your master I expect
prompt obedience. I shall look to see each of you do your best to
acquire the knowledge which your parents have sent you here to obtain.
Above all, I shall expect that every boy here will be straightforward,
honorable, and truthful. I shall not expect to find that all are capable
of making equal progress; there are clever boys and stupid boys, just
as there are clever men and stupid men, and it would be unjust to expect
that one can keep up to the other; but I do look to each doing his best
according to his ability. On my part I shall do my best to advance you
in your studies, to correct your faults, and to make useful men of you.

"One word as to punishments. I do not believe that knowledge is to be
thrashed into boys, or that fear is the best teacher. I shall expect you
to learn, partly because you feel that as your parents have paid for you
to learn it is your duty to learn, partly because you wish to please me.
I hope that the cane will seldom be used in this school. It will be used
if any boy tells me a lie, if any boy does anything which is mean and
dishonorable, if any boy is obstinately idle, and when it is used it
will be used to a purpose, but I trust that the occasion for it will be
rare.

"I shall treat you as friends whom it is my duty to instruct. You will
treat me, I hope, as a friend whose duty it is to instruct you, and who
has a warm interest in your welfare; if we really bear these relations
to each other there should be seldom a