them."

John's face was turned toward the door, otherwise he would have observed
the approach of the teacher, and spoken with more caution. But it was
too late. The words had been spoken above his ordinary voice, and were
distinctly heard by the teacher. He looked sharply at John Haynes, whose
glance fell before his, but without a word passed into the schoolroom.

"See if you don't get a blowing-up, John," said Dick Jones.

"What do I care!" said John, but in a tone too subdued to be heard by
any one else. "It won't do Rathburn any harm to hear the truth for once
in his life."

"Well, I'm glad I'm not in your place, that's all!" replied Dick.

"You're easily frightened!" rejoined John, with a sneer.

Nevertheless, as he entered the schoolroom, and walked with assumed
bravado to his seat in the back part of the room, he did not feel quite
so comfortable as he strove to appear. As he glanced stealthily at the
face of the teacher, who looked unusually stern and grave, he could not
help thinking, "I wonder whether he will say anything about it."

Mr. Rathburn commenced in the usual manner; but after the devotional
exercises were over, he paused, and, after a brief silence, during which
those who had heard John's words listened with earnest attention, spoke
as follows:

"As I approached the schoolroom this morning I chanced to catch some
words which I presume were not intended for my ear. If I remember
rightly they were, 'I don't care how many prizes Rathburn gives his
favorite!' There were several that heard them, so that I can be
easily corrected if I have made any mistake. Now I will not affect
to misunderstand the charge conveyed by these words. I am accused of
assigning the prizes, or at least, one of them, yesterday, not with
strict regard to the merit of the essays presented, but under the
influence of partiality. If this is the real feeling of the speaker, I
can only say that I am sorry he should have so low an opinion of me.
I do not believe the scholars generally entertain any such suspicion.
Though I may err in judgment, I think that most of you will not charge
me with anything more serious. If you ask me whether a teacher has
favorites, I say that he cannot help having them. He cannot help making
a difference between the studious on the one hand, and the indolent and
neglectful on the other. But in a matter like this I ask you to believe
me when I say that no consideration except that of merit is permitte