judge, or whatever the name of his office
was, had the reputation of being the steadiest boy in the school. It
was understood that he intended to become a minister. He was about
eighteen, and was nearly fitted to enter college. He never joined in
what were called the "scrapes" of the Institute, but devoted himself
with the closest attention to his studies. He was esteemed and
respected by all who knew him; and when I saw him presiding over this
irregular assemblage, I could not help regarding the affair as much
more serious than it had before seemed, even to me, the chief actor
therein.

Poodles and Pearl, I learned, had been captured in their rooms, and
dragged by sheer force into the school-room, to be examined on the
charges to be preferred against them. Poodles looked timid and
terrified, while Pearl was dogged and resolute.

"Thornton," said Henry Vallington, as my conductors paused before the
judge, "I have sent for you in order that we may ascertain the truth
of the charges brought against you by Mr. Parasyte. If you provoked
the quarrel to-day noon with Poodles, it is no more than fair and
right that you should make the apology required of you. If you did
not, we intend to stand by you. Have you anything to say?"

"I wish to say, in the first place, that, guilty or innocent, I am
willing to submit to whatever penalty the principal imposes upon me."

"That is very well for you, but it won't do for us," interposed the
judge. "If such gross injustice is done to one, it may be to another.
We act in self-defence."

"I don't know what you intend to do; but I am opposed to any
disorderly conduct, and to any violation of the rules of the
Institute."

"We know you are, Thornton; and you shall not be held responsible for
what we do to-night. If you are willing to tell us what you know about
this affair, all right. If not, we shall go on without you."

"I am willing to tell the truth here, as I have done to-day. As there
seems to be some mistake in regard to what transpired between Mr.
Parasyte and myself, up stairs, I will state the facts as they
occurred. He agreed to pay for my boat on condition that I would
apologize, privately, to Poodles, and publicly to the principal. I
offered to apologize to Mr. Parasyte, but not to Poodles, who was the
aggressor in the beginning. I told him, if Poodles would perform half
the examples now, I would make the apology to him."

"That's it!" shouted half a dozen boys.

"Or