hrough with him."

"Look out that the thing does not fall through like that matter of
cooking the _Gazette_ to suit yourself," sneered the other.

"You were as much in that as I was," snarled Herring, "and if you split
on me you will hurt yourself."

"I ain't going to split," whined Merritt, "but I know when a fellow
makes a mess of a thing. You came near giving yourself away on that."

"Me? It was you that did it. Some of the fellows suspect you but they
can't prove anything."

"Well, never mind that. How are you going to fix Sheldon this time?"

"I'll let you know. I've an idea but I want to get it in shape so that
there won't be any slip. He won't come out on top nor anywhere near it
when this thing gets to going."

"All right, I'll help you for I don't like Sheldon any better than you
and I'd like to spoil his chances."

One morning a day or so after this Dr. Wise received an anonymous letter
written and addressed in typewriting and posted at Riverton, which
caused him some little uneasiness.

During the morning session when all of the boys were in the great
schoolroom, he called for attention and said, evidently with the
greatest reluctance:

"It is not my custom to notice unsigned communications but I have one
here which I feel must be investigated in common justice to the person
accused. I will read it."

The boys looked at each other, wondering what was coming and the doctor
read the half sheet of note paper which he held in his hand.

"J. S. has a pony in his desk. You had better search it. This may
account for his standing in class."

The boys all understand that by a "pony" was meant a translation of some
work in one of the dead languages which they were studying at the time.

"This is a serious accusation," the doctor went on. "What boy has the
initials J. S.?"

"I have, sir," spoke up Jack, promptly. "My name is John Sheldon."

"So have I!" cried the other boy. "I am Jasper Sawyer. Maybe it's me he
means."

"That's nothing, my name is James Sharpe," said another.

"And I answer to the name of Jesse W. Smith!" piped up one of the
smallest boys in the Academy.

There was a titter among the boys and Harry whispered to Arthur:

"Somebody has made a miscalculation here. I wonder who it is?"

"Smith is out of the question," remarked the doctor. "You are not
studying Greek or Latin, are you, Smith?"

"No, sir," and the boys laughed again for Jesse W. Smith was not even in
the Latin gram