ing their
best to make up the lessons they had missed while away from the
school. They doubted if Phil and Ben had studied at all. With
considerable curiosity they awaited the opening of the morning
classes, to see what might happen. They felt that something was "in
the air."

Just before the last bell rang Phil and Ben appeared, their faces
wreathed in smiles.

"It's all right, fellows!" cried the shipowner's son, merrily. "It's
all right!"

"Now we can take our time making up those missed lessons," added Ben.

"You went to old Haskers?" queried Roger.

"We sure did," answered the shipowner's son.

"And told him about----" began our hero.

"Never mind what we told him, Dave," interrupted Phil. "We did tell
him that we wanted to make up the lessons but couldn't do it in the
time he had allotted. He argued it, at first, but now he has agreed to
give us the same time Mr. Dale did, three weeks."

"Good!" exclaimed Roger.

"You, or all of us?" asked our hero.

"All of us. I think he'll speak to you at recess--he said he would."

"What did he say when you--when you mentioned Mrs. Breen?" asked
Roger.

"Hush, somebody might hear you!" returned Phil, in a whisper. "We have
promised to keep that quiet."

"But the poor woman----" began Dave.

"Will get her money, never fear. A lawyer has already written about
it, and old Haskers says he will pay up. He claims it is all a
mistake. But he doesn't want anybody at Oak Hall to get wind of it."

There was no time to say more, and evidently neither Phil nor Ben felt
in the humor to discuss the affair. The early morning lesson proceeded
as usual, but it was noticed that Professor Haskers was much subdued
in his manner towards the students.

"Porter and Morr, I wish to speak to you at recess," said he, coming
down to where the two lads sat. "Kindly remain here."

When the other students had left the classroom the instructor came to
our hero and his chum and motioned for them to follow him to a private
room close by.

"I wish to speak to you about the lessons you are to make up," said
Job Haskers, after clearing his throat several times. "I understand
that you want more time."

"We would like to have more time, yes," answered Dave, briefly, and
looking the teacher full in the face.

"Can you do the lessons in three weeks?"

"Yes, Mr. Haskers," said Dave, and Roger nodded his head.

"Then you can take that much time. But, remember, I shall expect you
to--to--