had paved the way, for he was in deadly
terror of the effects of truth.

"No, sir." He could hardly believe he had said the words, or that they
would be so readily accepted, for Mr. Harrison had only the impression
that he knew who the guilty person was, and would not tell, and,
therefore, put no more questions to him, but, after a few more vain
inquiries, was baffled, and gave up the investigation.

Tom thought he should have been very unhappy; he had always heard that
deceit was a heavy burden, and would give continual stings, but he was
surprised to find himself very comfortable on the whole, and able to
dismiss repentance as well as terror. His many underhand ways with
Richard had taken away the tenderness of his conscience, though his
knowledge of what was right was clear; and he was quite ready to accept
the feeling prevalent at Stoneborough, that truth was not made for
schoolboys.

The axiom was prevalent, but not universal, and parties were
running high. Norman May, who as head boy had, in play-hours, the
responsibility, and almost the authority of a master, had taken higher
ground than was usual even with the well-disposed; and felt it his duty
to check abuses and malpractices that his predecessors had allowed. His
friend, Cheviot, and the right-minded set, maintained his authority
with all their might; but Harvey Anderson regarded his interference as
vexatious, always took the part of the offenders, and opposed him in
every possible way, thus gathering as his adherents not only the idle
and mischievous, but the weak and mediocre, and, among this set,
there was a positive bitterness of feeling to May, and all whom they
considered as belonging to him.

In shielding Tom May and leading him to deceive, the younger Anderson
had gained a conquest--in him the Mays had fallen from that pinnacle
of truth which was a standing reproach to the average Stoneborough
code--and, from that time, he was under the especial patronage of his
friend. He was taught the most ingenious arts of saying a lesson without
learning it, and of showing up other people's tasks; whispers and signs
were directed to him to help him out of difficulties, and he was sought
out and put forward whenever a forbidden pleasure was to be enjoyed by
stealth. These were his stimulants under a heavy bondage; he was teased
and frightened, bullied and tormented, whenever it was the fancy of Ned
Anderson and his associates to make his timidity their sport;