t out at one door, the "company" entered at another. Mr. Hale
went upon the platform, and repeated what Mr. Parasyte had told us,
that the Institute had been purchased by a number of the citizens of
Parkville, and in future its affairs would be managed by a board of
trustees, of which he had the honor to be chairman. The trustees had
just appointed Mr. Hardy as principal,--here he was interrupted by a
spontaneous burst of cheers,--and the school would be reorganized by
him in the afternoon. The "boarders" were requested to write to their
parents and guardians, informing them of the change.

Mr. Hale dismissed the students, after he had assured them that the
domestic part of the establishment would remain as before. The boys
went out upon the play ground, and gave three rousing cheers for the
new company, trustees, and principal. I went home to dinner with Bob,
and learned that the purchase of the Institute had been contemplated
for some months, by prominent citizens, who were aware that the school
was badly managed. They acted, many of them, simply as business men,
for the interests of the town. The Institute was "running down," and
they had taken this step to build it up. They knew that Mr. Hardy was
a true man and a good teacher, and as he was popular among the boys,
he was promptly elected principal.

Mr. Hale told Bob and me that the conduct of the students in "breaking
away" was strongly condemned by the gentlemen who had discussed the
affair, and he by no means approved of it himself; but the injustice
of Mr. Parasyte had provoked them to such a degree that the
misdemeanor was palliated, if not excused, and it was deemed best to
say nothing about it. The mortgage which my uncle held was paid, and
he had fled the instant the business was finished.

Mr. Parasyte had long and obstinately refused to sell the property,
even for a third more than its actual value; but finally, convinced
that the Institute would not succeed under his administration, he had
yielded the point. The next day he left Parkville, with his family,
"bag and baggage;" and so disagreeable was he to me, that I hoped I
never should see his face again.

In the afternoon we went to school, and Mr. Hardy appeared upon the
platform. We attempted to cheer him, but he silenced us. He made quite
a speech, in which, however, he did not allude to recent events, and
in half an hour the students were all at work on the old track. While
I was in school that