tudied the back of the head in
front of him most interestedly, Don observed the scar in his hand
absorbedly and Tom grinned because Steve Edwards was whispering from the
side of his mouth: "Why don't you get up, you bloomin' hero, why don't
you get up?" Harry Walton was smiling that knowing smile of his and
doing his best to catch Don's eye. And Don somehow knew it and didn't
dare look toward him.

"I'm disappointed," said Mr. Fernald after a minute. "Either the paper
is mistaken or the fellows are over-modest. Well, if they won't speak
for themselves perhaps someone else will volunteer to wrest them from
the obscurity they so evidently court. How about that, boys? Anyone know
who the heroes are?"

Again silence for an instant, and then, in various parts of the room,
the sudden moving of seats or tramping of feet as though someone was
about to get up. But no one did, and some of the younger boys in front
began to titter nervously. Mr. Fernald smiled and laid the Brimfield
_Times_ back on the table.

"No heroes amongst us, eh? Well, doubtless if any of you had been there
you'd have performed quite as well as these unknown young gentlemen did.
I like to think so. Dismissed."

"Do you think he suspects us?" asked Tom as he ranged himself beside Tim
on the way out. "Gee, I thought once he was looking right at me!"

"That's what it is to have a guilty conscience," replied Tim, in a
virtuous tone. "Of course he doesn't suspect. If he did he'd have named
us, sure as shooting. The funny part of it is that he hasn't thought
about what time the fire was! Maybe the paper didn't say. If he knew
that he'd probably be a sight more anxious to find us!"

"I was scared stiff that Harry Walton would blab. I didn't dare look at
him."

"Harry doesn't know you were with us. He recognised Don, or says he did,
and he naturally thinks I was along, but he doesn't know who the other
two were. If he opens his mouth I'll brain him."

"I guess he won't. He's a sort of a pup, but he isn't mean enough for
that. Gee, but it almost ruined my appetite for breakfast!"

"Even if Josh did find out," said Tim as they turned into Wendell, "he
wouldn't do much to us, I guess. It wasn't our fault the fire was late
in getting started, and the paper calls us heroes----"

"I don't believe it does. That's some of Josh's nonsense. I'm going to
get a copy of the _Times_ and see what it does say."

"Take my advice and let the _Times_ alone," advised Tim.