xed with envy, for she was the best scholar in
the whole school.

As Thora concluded, the schoolmaster gave her a word of praise, and
told her to go to the top of the class, while her brother, Tom, was
ordered to the bottom.

Andrew Drever had given these directions, and was leaning with his
elbow on the desk, his chin resting on his hand, when his eye was
attracted by my moving shadow at the doorway; and amid a sudden
silence I entered and took my place at the bottom of the class.

"Good morning, sir!" I said, looking fearlessly into Mr. Drever's
kind face.

"Good morning, Ericson!" said he. "You take your proper place, I
notice. But what is the meaning of this lateness? What excuse have
you this time?"

"I was down at the shore side catching sillocks," I boldly
answered, "and I just stopped to make up the even number."

Robbie Rosson here put his hand to his mouth in the form of a
speaking trumpet, and whispered: "How many did you catch, Hal?"

"Just two dozen," I quietly replied, yet not so quietly but Mr.
Drever heard me.

"Yes, Ericson," said he sternly, "you stay to make up the number of
your fish. But why do you not remember that you have a duty in
making up the number of your class at school?"

"I'm very sorry, sir," I said; "but I'll not do it again."

"See that you do not. I will excuse you this time, but only because
you were at the fishing." Then he added more kindly, "I have myself
lost count of time in the same way. And now let me hear your Latin
lesson."

Fortunately I went through the lesson without mistake, and was
rewarded by being told to go above Tom Kinlay. As I took my place,
however, the next boy to me, Robbie Rosson, gave a great shout of
pain, as though a pin had been stuck into him.

"Hello, hello! What's wrong now?" exclaimed the schoolmaster.

"It's nothing, sir," said Robbie, looking extremely uncomfortable.

"Nothing! What for did you cry out like that, then?"

"'Twas one of my fishhooks stuck in his leg, sir," I explained,
extracting the offending hook from Rosson's trousers, and putting
it back with others into my pocket.

"Give me the hooks!" demanded Mr. Drever, holding out his hand to
receive them. "I don't know what can possess you, bringing such
things to school."

Then before putting the hooks away in his desk, he examined them
with a knowing eye, and I heard him murmur, "Dear me, dear me! You
lads beat everything. I cannot think where ye get such good hooks