ructor.

"May I ask," he said coldly, "what this--this quaint exhibition is
intended to convey?"

Mr. Moller hesitated an instant. Then: "I think I can explain it better,
sir, later on," he replied.

Mr. Fernald bowed, again swept the offenders with a glance of withering
contempt and took his departure. Mr. Moller looked troubledly after him
before he turned to Westcott and said kindly: "Now, Westcott, we will
go on, if you please."

What passed between principal and instructor later that day was not
known, but the result of the interview appeared the next morning when
Mr. Fernald announced in chapel that because they had seen fit to
publicly insult a member of the faculty he considered it only just to
publicly inform the following students that they were placed on
probation until further notice. Then followed the names of Hall,
Westcott, Byrd, Draper and five others. Mr. Fernald added that but for
the intercession of the faculty member whom they had so vilely affronted
the punishment would have been far heavier.

Nine very depressed youths took their departure from chapel that
morning. To Tom Hall, since the edict meant that he could not play any
more football that season, unless, which was scarcely probable, faculty
relented within a week or so, the blow was far heavier than to any of
the others. Being on probation was never a state to be sought for, but
when one was in his last year at school and had looked forward to ending
his football career in a blaze of glory, probation was just about as bad
as being expelled. In fact, for a day or two Tom almost wished that Mr.
Fernald had selected the latter punishment. What made things harder to
bear was the attitude of coaches and players and the school at large.
After the first shock of surprise and dismay, they had agreed with
remarkable unanimity that Tom had not only played the fool, but had
proved himself a traitor, and they didn't fail to let Tom know their
verdict. For several days he was as nearly ostracised as it was possible
to be, and those days were very unhappy ones for him.

Of course Tom was not utterly deserted. Steve Edwards stood by him
firmly, fought public opinion, narrowly escaped a pitched battle with
the president of the Sixth Form, worried Coach Robey to death with his
demands that that gentler man intercede for Tom at the office and tried
his best all the time to keep Tom's spirits up. Clint and Don and Tim
and a few others remained steadfast,