ny occasion for punishment. And
now as a beginning today, boys, let each come up to my desk, one at a
time, with his books. I shall examine you separately, and see what each
knows and is capable of doing. I see by the report here that there are
six boys in the first class. As these will occupy me all the morning
the rest can go into the playground. The second class will be taken this
afternoon."

The boys had listened with astonished silence to this address, and so
completely taken aback were they that all save those ordered to remain
rose from their seats and went out in a quiet and orderly way, very
different from the wild rush which generally terminated school time.

Ned being in the second class was one of those who went out. Instead of
scattering into groups, the boys gathered in a body outside.

"What do you think of that, Sankey?" Tompkins said. "It seems almost
too good to be true. Only fancy, no more thrashing except for lying and
things of that sort, and treating us like friends! and he talked as if
he meant it too."

"That he did," Ned said gravely; "and I tell you, fellows, we shall have
to work now, and no mistake. A fellow who will not work for such a man
as that deserves to be skinned."

"I expect," said James Mather, who was one of the biggest boys in the
school though still in the third class, "that it's all gammon, just to
give himself a good name, and to do away with the bad repute the school
has got into for Hathorn's flogging. You will see how long it will last!
I ain't going to swallow all that soft soap."

Ned, who had been much touched at the master's address, at once fired
up:

"Oh! we all know how clever you are, Mather--quite a shining genius, one
of the sort who can see through a stone wall. If you say it's gammon, of
course it must be so."

There was a laugh among the boys.

"I will punch your head if you don't shut up, Sankey," Mather said
angrily; "there's no ink bottle for you to shy here."

Ned turned very white, but he checked himself with an effort.

"I don't want to fight today--it's the first day of the half year, and
after such a speech as we've heard I don't want to have a row on this
first morning. But you had better look out; another time you won't find
me so patient. Punch my head, indeed! Why, you daren't try it."

But Mather would have tried it, for he had for the last year been
regarded as the cock of the school. However, several of the boys
interfered.

"San