n way;" all of which she had said
over and over to her hostess in the chintz-covered room. "And you are so
kind to overlook it so beautifully."

"It is impossible to blame one of your delicate sensibility," said Miss
Ophelia; with her healthy English composure, quite in her element to
have some one to fuss over, and to make comfortable in her own way.
"Now, then, I trust that tea is quite right," handing her a cup.

XXIV THE PIECE OF NEWS

"Pepper, you're wanted!" Dick Furness banged into Joel's room, then out
again, adding two words, "Harrow--immediately."

"All right," said Joel, whistling on; all his thoughts upon "Moose
Island" and the expedition there on the morrow. And he ran lightly down
to the second floor, and into the under-teacher's room.

Mr. Harrow was waiting for him; and pushing aside some books, for he
never seemed to be quite free from them even for a moment, he motioned
Joel to a seat.

Joel, whose pulses were throbbing with the liveliest expectations,
didn't bother his head with what otherwise might have struck him as
somewhat queer in the under-teacher's manner. For the thing in hand was
what Joel principally gave himself to. And as that clearly could be
nothing else than the "Moose Island expedition," it naturally followed
that Mr. Harrow had to speak twice before he could gain his attention.

But when it was gained, there was not the slightest possible chance of
misunderstanding what the under-teacher was saying, for it was the habit
of this instructor to come directly to the point without unnecessary
circumlocution.

But his voice and manner were not without a touch of sadness on this
occasion that softened the speech itself.

"Joel, my boy," Mr. Harrow began, "you know I have often had you down
here to urge on those lessons of yours."

"Yes, sir," said Joel, wondering now at the voice and manner.

"Well, now to-day, I am instructed by the master to send for you for a
different reason. Can you not guess?"

"No, sir," said Joel, comfortable in the way things had been going on,
and wholly unable to imagine the blow about to fall.

"I wish you had guessed it, Joel," said Mr. Harrow, moving uneasily in
his chair, "for then you would have made my task easier. Joel, Dr. Marks
says, on account of your falling behind in your lessons, without
reason--understand this, Joel, _without reason_--you are not to go to
Moose Island to-morrow."

Even then Joel did not comprehend. So Mr. Har