n came.

"I desire an explanation of this unseemly disturbance. The school will
follow me immediately into the schoolroom," said he, somewhat sternly;
and turning upon his heel went back to his desk, the boys following at a
respectful distance.

When all had been seated, and the room was quiet, Dr. Johnston asked:

"Will the leaders in the proceedings outside come to my desk?"

There was a moment's pause, and then Teter rose from his seat, Bert
immediately imitating him, and the two walked slowly down to the open
space before the master's desk.

Having waited a minute, and no one else appearing, the doctor leaned
forward and said to his nephew:

"You and Lloyd were on the same side, were you not?"

"Yes, sir," replied Teter.

"Well, who were the leaders of the other side? I wish to know."

"Graham and Wilding, sir," answered Teter.

"Graham and Wilding, come forward," called the doctor, sternly; and the
two boys, looking very conscious and shamefaced, reluctantly left their
seats and took their places before the throne.

"Now, then, I wish to be informed of the whole matter," said the doctor.

Bert looked at Teter, and Teter looked at Bert.

"You tell him," he whispered; "you know most about it."

Thereupon, with the utmost frankness, Bert proceeded to tell his story,
beginning at his first talk with Ernest Linton.

The doctor listened intently, his inscrutable face revealing nothing as
to how the story impressed him. When Bert had finished, he turned to
Graham and Wilding, and asked them:

"Is Lloyd's statement correct? or have you anything to add?"

They hung their heads, and were silent.

The doctor looked very hard at them for a moment, during which the
silence was so intense that the fall of a pin upon the floor would have
been heard; then, turning to the school, he spoke as follows:

"The events that have just transpired have hastened a decision that has
been forming in my mind for some time past. I was not unaware of this
practice of which Lloyd has just spoken, but deemed it well not to
interfere until my interference should seem necessary. That time, in my
judgment, has arrived, and I have determined that there shall be no more
of this hoisting. Be it, therefore, distinctly understood by the pupils
of this school, that any future attempts at the hoisting of new boys
will incur punishment, and possibly even expulsion from the school. You
will now resume work."

A subdued murmur of applaus