ng towards
me. At first I was startled, fearful that it might contain some of my
tyrant's minions, sent out to capture me, and carry me back to the
school. As the boat came nearer, however, I saw that it was filled
with my friends, prominent among whom were Bob Hale and Tom Rush; and
I lay upon my oars to await her coming.

"Good morning, Ernest; I'm glad to see you," said Bob, as the
Institute boat ranged up alongside of mine.

"What is the matter at the Institute? Don't school keep to-day?" I
asked, when I had returned the salutations of my friend.

"There's big news there, Ernest, you'd better believe," replied Bob,
in an excited tone.

"What is it? What has happened?"

"There has been an awful row between Mr. Parasyte and Mr. Hardy, and
Mr. Hardy has been discharged--that's the first thing; and the fellows
won't stand it, anyhow."

"What was it about?"

"We don't know. Mr. Hardy opened the school as usual at nine o'clock;
but he didn't say a word to us about the troubles. A little after
nine, Mr. Parasyte came in, with a black eye and a broken head. He and
Mr. Hardy talked together a little while, and we saw that Parasyte was
as mad as a hop. They went into the recitation-room to have it out;
but in two or three minutes they returned, and Mr. Hardy said he was
going to leave; but he didn't tell the reason--just bade us good by.
If we had only known what the trouble was, we would have pitched
Parasyte out of the window."

"Then Mr. Hardy has gone," I added.

"Left, and at once. Then Mr. Parasyte made a speech, in which he told
us the school was in a state of rebellion; that Thornton had assaulted
him, and struck him on the head with a heavy ruler, and that he
intended to flog him till he apologized to Poodles, as his uncle
wished him to do. We didn't wait to hear any more. We gave a yell, and
rushed out of the school-room."

CHAPTER XII.

IN WHICH ERNEST RAISES THE SPLASH, AND THERE IS A GENERAL BREAKING
AWAY AMONG THE STUDENTS.

I listened, with astonishment and dismay, to the tale which Bob Hale
told me. I could not help asking myself to what extent I was
responsible for the troubles which overwhelmed the Parkville Liberal
Institute. I told Bob how I felt, and he ridiculed the idea of my
shouldering any portion of the blame.

"Even the parson says you are not to blame, and that you have behaved
like a gentleman from the beginning," said he, alluding to Henry
Vallington, who, on account of