nd look at the evidence presented
awhile ago. Beaufort undoubtedly picked that quarrel. There can't be any
doubt of that. We know his record. Beaufort, I'll wager, never took a
boxing lesson in his life. He showed it. The chap who knew how to box,
Durkin, had to be forced to fight."

"You'll convince me in a minute," laughed Mr. Daley, "that if I want to
keep out of trouble I'll have to learn to use my fists!"

"It would be a good thing if you did," responded the other. "Come over
to the gym some afternoon and have a go at it!"

"That would be setting a fine example, wouldn't it?"

"As a matter of fact, it would," replied Mr. Conklin earnestly. "I wish
I could convince Fernald of it!"

Meanwhile, Clint and Penny, both chastened and uneasy, were reviewing
the episode in Penny's room.

"I suppose he will report it," said Penny. "If he does, and Mr. Fernald
believes Dreer's story, it'll cost me that scholarship."

"I don't see why he should believe Dreer any more than you and me,"
Clint objected.

"I'm afraid he will want to. He hates to have fellows fight. I'm glad
you kept out of it, anyway."

"I'm not! It wouldn't have made so much difference with me, Durkin."

"You might have been put on probation Thayer, and that would have kept
you off the football team."

"Probation just for--for that?" exclaimed the other incredulously.

"Wouldn't be surprised," replied Penny. "Josh is rabid on the subject.
Well, there's no use crying over spilled milk. And, anyhow, I'm glad I
did it! Only I wish it had been Dreer instead of Beaufort!"

"So do I," muttered Clint.

Amy, when he heard of it, was devastated with sorrow. "And I wasn't
there!" he wailed. "Just my silly luck! Tell me about it. You say Penny
knocked him out!"

The next forenoon the summons came from the Office and at twelve o'clock
Penny, Clint and Dreer were admitted to the inner sanctuary one at a
time and grilled by Mr. Fernald. Penny's forebodings were none too
dismal, as events proved. Probation was awarded to Penny and Dreer,
while Clint was unmercifully lectured. Unfortunately, their sense of
honour kept both Penny and Clint silent as to the underlying cause of
the affair, and the principal's efforts to find out why Dreer should
have set Beaufort to pick a quarrel with Penny, as both Penny and Clint
claimed, were unsuccessful. Naturally enough, Dreer himself failed to
throw light on this matter. Mr. Fernald refused to believe that any boy
would d