om a white birch stick in the "ears" of the
fireplace.

"Master," cried out a mean-spirited boy on the front bench, "Patty's
pickin' gum off that ar log; I seed her."

Master Purple strode quickly across the room. He had been longing for a
whole hour to give _somebody_ a terrible whipping; and here was a good
opportunity.

Of course it was the unmanly little tell-tale he was going to punish?

No, indeed; it was Patty. He seized upon the bewildered little creature
with the greatest fury.

"Patty Lyman, what do you mean, young woman? Haven't I laid down a rule,
and how dare you disobey? It was only yesterday I feruled Ozen Wiggins
for chewing gum."

"I didn't," wailed Patty.

"What? Do you contradict me? We'll see about that! Hold out your hand,
you naughty, wicked child!"

The tone was so fierce, and the clutch on her shoulder hurt her so much,
that poor Patty screamed fearfully.

"Hold out your hand!" repeated the master.

Patty gave him her slender baby-palm, poor little creature! while Dorcas
and Mary, up in the back seats, both drew in their breaths with a
shudder.

Down came the hard-wood ferule, whizzing through the air like a thing of
life. No time then to tell Mr. Purple she _couldn't_ have picked gum off
a hard-wood stick if she had tried; he wouldn't have believed her, and
wouldn't have listened, no matter what she said.

One! two! three! Patty had never been struck like this before. The twins
looked at each other, and almost rose from their seats. Indignation
flashed from thirty pairs of eyes, but the master was too excited to see
it.

Four! five! six! Patty's little figure bent like a broken reed, when
there was a shuffling of boots in the aisle, and a voice shouted,

"Stop that, sir!"

It was William Parlin's voice. He had sent it on ahead of him, and was
following after it as fast as he could.

"Let that child alone, Master Purple."

[Illustration: LITTLE GRANDFATHER SPEAKS.--Page 138.]

Master Purple was so utterly surprised and confounded that he stood
stock still, with his ferule high in the air.

In another minute William was at his side.

"Do you mean to let go that little girl's hand, sir?"

Master Purple stood and glared.

"She's taken her last ruling, sir. I won't look on and see such small
children abused, sir. If the committee can't make a fuss about it, I
will."

You might have heard a pin drop. The whole school held its breath in
surprise. Master Purple, not knowi