chool
yard, and before you had gone to your homes, so I think it my duty to
inquire into the matter. Justice Stott thinks so too. When any one has
done a wrong that he can not amend, the only manly course is to confess.
I want those boys who followed the organ-grinder up the alley to stand
up."

No boy arose. Benny Mallow wished that some one would give the bottom of
his seat a hard kick, so that he would have to rise in spite of himself,
but no one kicked.

"Be honest, now," said Mr. Morton. "I have been a boy myself; I have
taken part in just such tricks. I know how bad you feel, and how hard it
is to confess; but I give you my word that you will feel a great deal
better after telling the truth. I will give you one minute more before I
try another plan."

Mr. Morton took out his watch, and looked at it; the boys who had not
been engaged in the mischief looked virtuously around them, and the
guilty boys looked at their desks.

"Now," exclaimed Mr. Morton, replacing his watch in his pocket. "Stand
up like men. Will none of you do it?"

Benny Mallow whispered, "Yes, sir," but the teacher did not hear him;
besides, Benny made no effort to keep his word, so his whispering
amounted to nothing.

"Grayson," said Mr. Morton, "come here."

Bert Sharp, who sat near the front of the room, where the teacher could
watch him, edged to the end of his seat, so as to be ready to jump up
and run away the moment Grayson told--if he dared to tell. Most of the
other boys found their hearts so high in their throats that they could
not swallow them again, as Grayson, looking very white and
uncomfortable, stepped to the front.

"Grayson," said the teacher, "I have known you for many months: have I
ever been unkind to you?"

"No, sir," replied Grayson; then he wiped his eyes; seeing which Bert
Sharp thought he might as well run now as later, for boys who began by
crying always ended by telling.

"You saw the attack made on the Italian; Justice Stott says you admitted
as much to him. Now I want you to tell me who were of the party."

"May I speak first, sir?" asked Grayson.

"Yes," said the teacher.

"Boys," said Grayson, half facing the school, "you all hate a tell-tale,
and so do I. Do you think it the fair thing to hold your tongues and
make a tell-tale of me?"

[Illustration: "MR. MORTON, I WAS THERE."]

Grayson looked at Will Palmer as he spoke, but Will only looked sulky in
return; then Grayson looked at Benny Mallow,