ore or less of a noise on the
streets after dark, being filled with exurberant spirits; and so no one
thought it worth while to investigate what all the racket meant.

Paul heard what had been carried to the ears of Arline, and had no
trouble in proving to her complete satisfaction that he was entirely
innocent of the charge.

"And to think that I allowed myself to believe it," said the girl, almost
crying; "oh! Paul, will you ever forgive me? Nothing can ever make me
listen to anything wrong about you again. I wonder if he had a hand in
hatching that wretched story up. If I knew it I would tell him to his
face what I thought of him!"

"You mean Ward. Please don't do that. I really can't believe any fellow
would be so mean and low. It must have been just accident that coupled my
name with that affair. But I'm satisfied if you say we're going to be
just as good friends as ever," Paul said, warmly.

"Better than ever, I hope, Paul. I've had my lesson. It will never happen
again, I promise you," she answered, pressing his arm as she spoke.

So Paul saw her safely to her door, and then said good-night; but Arline
insisted upon shaking hands with him; and the tingle of his fingers as he
walked down the street made him laugh with joy.

"What luck!" he kept saying to himself, as he made out to shake his own
hand; "and what a mess of it Ward made of his chances. He thought to have
the laugh on me if we met, and here the shoe is on the other foot. Oh!
I'm not complaining a little bit. Everything's coming my way now."

Nothing further happened on his way home. But when he reached the house
his father met him with the announcement that Jack was holding the wire,
and waiting for him.

"On deck there!" he said, briskly, and heard an exclamation of relief.

"How is it, Paul? Anything doing? Seemed to me I heard an awful racket
over your way; but the nine-forty train was just coming in at the
station, and drowned it out. Did they tackle you, son?" demanded Jack,
eagerly.

"Did they? Well, I guess some! Ask Ted," chuckled the one addressed.

"You're laughing, and that tells me you enjoyed the circus. What did you
do to poor old Ted and his cronies, Paul?" entreated the other.

"I could tell you easier what I didn't do to 'em, Jack. I gave the boys
about every style of punch and jab I could think of, and with my home-run
bat too. Oh! make up your mind they're going to be a sore lot in the
morning. And if you run up against