the school that one or
other of their comrades had carried out his threats, but no suspicion
fell upon any one in particular. The boys who were most likely to have
done such a thing declared their innocence stoutly.

Mr. Hathorn had no doubt on the subject. The cane had been going all
the morning, and he had told them that extra tasks would be given which
would occupy all their playtime until the offender was given up to
judgment.

In point of fact the boys were altogether innocent of the deed. Pussy
was a noted marauder, and having been caught the evening before in a
larder, from which she had more than once stolen titbits, she had
been attacked by an enraged cook with a broomstick, and blows had been
showered upon her until the woman, believing that life was extinct, had
thrown her outside into the road; but the cat was not quite dead, and
had, after a time, revived sufficiently to drag her way home, only,
however, to die.

"I call it a shame!" Ned repeated. "Mind, I say it's a brutal thing
to ill treat a cat like that. If she did knock down inkstands and get
fellows into rows it was not her fault. It's natural cats should run
after mice, and the wainscoting of the schoolroom swarmed with them. One
can hear them chasing each other about and squeaking all day. If I knew
any of the fellows had killed the cat I should go straight to Hathorn
and tell him.

"You might call it sneaking if you like, but I would do it, for I hate
such brutal cruelty. I don't see how it could have been any of the
fellows, for they would have had to get out of the bedroom and into it
again; besides, I don't see how they could have caught the cat if they
did get out; but whether it was one of the fellows or not makes no
difference. I say it's injustice to punish every one for the fault of
one or two fellows.

"I suppose he thinks that in time we shall give up the names of the
fellows who did it. As far as I am concerned, it will be just the other
way. If I had known who had done it this morning, when he accused us, I
should have got up and said so, because I think fellows who treat dumb
animals like that are brutes that ought to be punished, but I certainly
would not sneak because Hathorn punished me unjustly. I vote we all
refuse to do the work he has set us."

This bold proposition was received with blank astonishment.

"But he would thrash us all fearfully," Tompkins said.

"He daren't if we only stuck together. Why, he wouldn't hav