r, and the majority of the
boys guessed pretty shrewdly what would be the result of asking their
parents to let them stay away. The grand idea was to induce the master
to give a general holiday, but the question was how that desirable end
was to be brought about. It had been suggested to stay away bodily,
without so much as saying, "With your leave or by your leave;" but as
such a course carried a certainty of punishment in its train, it was
universally rejected. Another idea, which had received some favor, had
been to trip up the poor half-blind schoolmaster, quite by accident,
and by rendering him incapable obtain the desired holiday, but there
had been a majority found to protest against such cruelty; and now
Walter Harrison had suggested his plan. But although most of them were
inclined to adopt it, there were two who resolutely refused to do so.

"Why won't you join us?" asked Walter of these two.

"I sha'n't, because I'm not going to tell a pack of lies for the sake
of a holiday," answered Willie Ford, the younger of the two.

"How good we are!" replied Walter, tauntingly; and then throwing his
cap up into the air, he sang out:

"'There was a curly-headed boy
Who never told a lie;
He knew a trick worth two of that:
That was the reason why.'

"Sly fox!" he said, patting Willie on the back. "He does the 'good'
dodge to perfection, and finds it answers too; don't you, Ford?"

Walter's sallies were received with roars of laughter by the boys.
Willie took no notice of them, although it was a difficult matter to
restrain his anger.

"What a milksop the fellow is!" cried out one of the boys.

"A stupid little muff!" cried another.

"Am I?" cried Willie, his temper now fully roused; "I'll show you
about that. Although I'm not going to tell lies, I'll fight any one of
you. Come now, Harrison, let's have it out together."

Harrison burst out laughing: "Fancy me fighting with a little
cock-sparrow like you! I should like to see myself!"

Willie was about to burst out again, but a friendly hand was laid on
his arm, and his friend Philip said, gently, "Come away, Will; no
fighting about such a trifle as that, lad."

"What a peppery little chap!" called out Walter as Willie turned away
with his friend. "Pepper and sop! Ugh! what a nasty mess!"

The boys followed out their plan, and got their holiday, all except
Willie and Philip and several little fellows who had taken no interest
in the mat