sumed. Old Dut, however, noted that whenever one
of the boys or girls looked up and caught sight of his expansive,
crimsoned shirt-front, a smile always followed.

CHAPTER II

A BRUSH ON THE STREET

By the time that the noon dismissal bell rang the rain had ceased, and
the sun was struggling out.

Out in the coatroom Dick snatched his hat from the nail as though he
were in haste to get away.

"I'll race you home, as far as we go together," proposed Dave Darrin.

"Go you!" hovered on the tip of Prescott's tongue, but just then another
thought popped into Dick's mind. It was a manly idea, and he had learned
to act promptly on such impulses.

"Wait a moment," he answered Darrin. "I've got something to do."

With that Dick marched back into the schoolroom. Old Dut, looking up
from the books that he was placing in a tidy pile on the platform desk,
smiled.

"I came back to ask, sir, if your nose pains?"

Old Dut shot a keen glance at young Prescott, for long experience had
taught the school-teacher that malice sometimes lurks behind the most
innocent question from a boy. Then he answered:

"I'm glad to be able to report, Master Prescott, that my nose is causing
me no trouble whatever."

"I'm very glad of that, sir. I've been a bit uncomfortable, since
recess, thinking that perhaps my--that my act had broken your nose, and
that you were just too game to let any one know. I'm glad no real harm
was done, sir."

Then Dick turned, anxious to get out into the open as quickly as
possible.

"One moment, Master Prescott!"

Dick wheeled about again.

"Are you sure that the book-throwing was an accident?"

"I--I am afraid it wasn't, sir," Dick confessed, reddening.

"Then, if you threw the book into my face on purpose, why did you do
it!"

"I was a good deal provoked, Mr. Jones."

"Oh! Provoked over the funny story that I told you this forenoon?"

"Not over the story, sir; but your manner of telling it."

Old Dut had hard work to keep back the smile that struggled for an
appearance on his face.

"Revenge, was it, Master Prescott?"

"Well, I felt that it was due me, Mr. Jones, to get even for the show
that you made of me before the class."

"Master Prescott, we won't go into the details of whether I was
justified in illustrating my story this morning in the manner that I
did, or whether you were right in coming back at me after the fashion
that you did. But I am going to offer one thought for you