"let
us go in, or Wilson will find we are absent."

No one, however, appeared to have noticed their absence, and the two
adventurers gained the school-room and resumed their seats unobserved.

The next morning, as Dr Price was in the act of seating himself at his
desk, preparatory to the commencement of school work, a servant
entered and informed him that he was wanted on particular business for
a few minutes. The doctor was absent for a short time, and then
returned accompanied by a man and a boy dressed in the smock-frock of
farm labourers. The doctor commanded silence. Leslie's heart gave a
quick throb, and he felt a tremor run through his whole frame as his
eye alighted upon the group at the principal's desk.

"Boys," began the doctor, in a clear but stern voice, looking round
upon his scholars, "boys, I have been informed that some two or three
of my pupils perpetrated a very annoying trick at several of the
cottages at the entrance of the town last evening. I am unwilling to
believe that any of my scholars are guilty, as the hour when the trick
was accomplished, was one when no boy has leave to absent himself from
the school grounds, or even house; but my informant is so confident it
was some of you, that I am compelled for the sake of arriving at the
truth to ask whether it is so; are any of you boys guilty of this
trick?"

There was a dead silence.

Leslie whispered to Lynch, "I think we had better tell."

"You are sure the boys ran in the direction of the school?" inquired
the doctor, turning to the man and boy.

"Ees, I'm sure and certain," replied the boy, "for I chased 'em, I
did, most 'alf the way; so I bee's sure like."

"You hear, boys," said the doctor; "if any of you are guilty you had
better confess it at once."

For a minute or two a complete silence again reigned, at the end of
which Leslie rose from his seat, and with a face quite scarlet in
colour, said, "If you please, I am the guilty one!" and then sat down
again.

"And who was your companion, Ross?"

"If you please, sir, I would rather not tell."

"I was, sir!" said Lynch.

"Lynch; and who else?"

"There was no one else, sir."

"And may I ask what motive induced you to play such a trick, as
shooting peas at eight-day clocks."

"It was only a lark, sir," said Leslie.

"A lark! and do you know what your 'lark' has done?"

"No, sir."

"Besides the annoyance you have caused these good people and their
families, you have b