Miss Grey," he replied. "I think I've done pretty well
considering my grandfather's not home."

He handed his paper to her with a show of pardonable pride; but she
merely glanced at the long list of names.

"Did you know," she asked, "that Colonel Butler has decided to give
the flag to the school?"

Pen opened his eyes in astonishment.

"No," he said. "Has he?"

"Read this letter, please."

She handed the colonel's letter to him and he began to read it. His
face grew red and his eyes snapped. He had been outwitted. He knew in
a moment when, where and how it had been done. He handed the paper
back to Miss Grey.

"All right!" he said. "But I think it was a mean, underhanded,
contemptible trick."

Then Aleck, slow to wrath, woke up.

"There was nothing mean nor underhanded about it," he retorted. "I had
a perfect right to ask Colonel Butler for a subscription. And if he
chose to give the whole flag, that was his lookout. And," turning to
Pen, "if you'd been half way decent last night, you'd have known all
about this thing then, and maybe saved yourself some trouble."

Before Pen could flash back a reply, Miss Grey intervened.

"That will do, boys. I'm not sure who is in the wrong here, if any one
is. I propose to find out about that, later. It's an unfortunate
situation; but, in justice to Colonel Butler, we must accept it." She
handed Pen's paper back to him, and added: "I think you had better
take this back to your subscribers, and ask them to cancel their
subscriptions. I will consult with my associates at noon, and we will
decide upon our future course. In the meantime I charge you both,
strictly, to say nothing about this matter until after I have made my
announcement at the afternoon session. You may take your seats."

The school bell had already ceased ringing, and the pupils had filed
in and had taken their proper places. So Aleck and Pen went down the
aisle, the one with stubborn resolution marking his countenance, the
other with keen resentment flashing from his eyes.

And poor Miss Grey, mild and peace-loving, but now troubled and
despondent, who had thought to restore harmony among her pupils,
foresaw, instead, only a continued and more bitter rivalry.

Notwithstanding her admonition, rumors of serious trouble between
Aleck and Pen filtered through the school-room during the morning
session, and were openly discussed at the noon recess. But both boys
kept silent.

It was not until the day's