Teddy lifted up his left hand.

"Why, I don't see that anything's the matter with it," he replied,
holding it out for examination.

"I mean the one you're hiding under the table," went on Aaron stonily.

"Oh, that one?" stammered Teddy. "Why, it's scratched," he added
brightly, as he studied it with an expression of innocent surprise.

There was a dead silence. Teddy, not caring to look anywhere else, kept
gazing at his hand, as though it were the most fascinating object in the
world.

"Oh, Teddy!" moaned his mother.

And then Teddy knew that the game was up.

"Honestly, Mother," he stammered, "I didn't mean to--that is I meant to
make the cat jump on the fly-paper, but I didn't think he'd----"

Here was Uncle Aaron's cue.

"Didn't think!" he stormed. "Didn't think! If you were my boy----" And
here he launched into a tongue lashing that outdid all his previous
efforts. It seemed to Teddy an age before he could escape from the
table, carrying away with him the echo of Uncle Aaron's final threat to
have it out with his father when he came home that night.

It was the last straw. Mr. Rushton's indecision vanished at the recital
of Teddy's latest prank. Before he slept that night he had written to
Dr. Hardach Rally, asking for his catalogue and terms, intimating that
if these proved satisfactory, he would send his two boys to Rally Hall.

CHAPTER XI

THE ROBBERY

The answer came back promptly.

In addition to the catalogue and pictures of the Hall and grounds, Dr.
Rally wrote a personal letter. It was in a stiff, precise handwriting
that seemed to indicate the character of the man.

He would be very glad to take the Rushton boys under his care. He
thought he was not exaggerating when he said that the standard of
scholarship at Rally Hall was not exceeded by any institution of a
similar kind in the entire state. Their staff of instructors was
adequate, and their appliances were strictly up to date. There was a
good gymnasium, and the physical needs of the boys were looked after
with the same care as their mental and moral requirements.

But what he laid especial stress upon was the discipline. This came
under his own personal supervision, and he thought he could promise Mr.
Rushton that there would be no weakness or compromise in this important
particular.

"That's the stuff!" broke in Uncle Aaron, gleefully rubbing his hands.
"What did I tell you? Hardach Rally is the one to make boys mind."