der!" interposed the judge, sternly.

"I think that would be a good way to prove that Poodles did or did not
tell the truth, when he said he had performed the examples,"
interposed Bob Hale.

"Capital!" added Tom Rush.

"I approve the method; but let us have no disorder," replied
Vallington. "Conduct Poodles to the blackboard."

The custodians of the culprit promptly obeyed this order, and led him
to the blackboard, which was cleaned for immediate use. The
school-room was well lighted, and the expression on the faces of all
could be distinctly seen.

"Poodles, we desire to have justice done to all," said Vallington,
when the culprit had taken his place at the blackboard. "You shall
have fair play in every respect. You shall have a chance to prove
that you were right, and Thornton wrong."

"Well, I was right," replied Poodles.

"Did you perform all the examples on your paper without any help?"

"Of course I did."

"Then of course you know how to perform them. Here is an examination
paper. If you can perform five of the ten examples you shall be
acquitted."

"Perhaps I don't choose to do them," said Poodles, looking around for
some way to escape his fate.

"Are you not willing that the truth should come out?"

"I told the truth to-day."

"All right, if you did. You surely will not object to _prove_ that you
did. You shall have fair play, I repeat."

"Suppose I don't choose to do them?" asked Poodles, doubtfully.

"Then we shall take it for granted that you did not do them, as you
declared on your paper."

"You can take it for granted, then, if you like," answered Poodles, as
he dropped the chalk.

"You refuse to perform the examples--do you?" demanded Vallington,
sternly.

"Yes, I do."

"Then you may take the consequences. Either you shall be expelled from
the Institute, or at least fifty of us will petition our parents to
take us from this school. We have done with you."

Bill Poodles smiled, and was pleased to get off so easily; but I
noticed that Dick Pearl turned pale, and looked very much troubled. He
was a relative of Mr. Parasyte, and it was generally understood that
he was a free scholar, his parents being too poor to pay his board and
tuition. While he expected to be ducked in the lake, or subjected to
some personal indignity, after the manner in which boys usually treat
such cases, his courage was good. Now, it appeared that the boys
simply intended to have Poodles expelled, or to ask