commotion. Only with the most
painful efforts did his wholly untrained fingers trace the copy that the
master had set. His mouth, too, followed the struggles of his fingers;
and the facial grimaces that resulted set the school into a gale of
laughter. In fact, the master--a good deal amused himself--was wholly
unable to calm the room so long as old Zack continued his exercise in
writing.

The children of course carried home accounts of what went on at school;
and certain of the parents complained to the school agent that their
children were not learning properly. The complaints continued, and
finally the agent--his name was Moss--visited the schoolroom and
informed old Zack that he must leave.

"I don't think you have any right to be here," Moss said to him. "And
you're giving trouble; you raise such a disturbance that the children
can't attend to their studies."

Old Zack appealed to Master Cobb, "Have I broken any of your rules?" he
asked. The master could not say that he had, intentionally.

"Haven't I studied?" old Zack asked.

"You certainly have," the master admitted, laughing.

But the school agent was firm. "You'll have to leave!" he exclaimed.
"You're too old and too big to come here!"

"All the same, I'm comin' here," said old Zack.

"We'll see about that!" cried Moss angrily. "The law is on my side!"

That was the beginning of what is still remembered as "the war at the
Mills schoolhouse." The agent appealed to the school board of the town,
which consisted of three members,--two clergymen and a lawyer,--and the
following day the board appeared at the schoolhouse. After conferring
with the master, they proceeded formally to expel old Zack Lurvey from
school.

Old Zack, however, hotly defended his right to get an education, and a
wordy combat ensued.

"You're too old to draw school money," the lawyer informed him. "No
money comes to you for schooling after you are twenty-one, and you look
to be three times as old as that!"

Thereupon old Zack drew out his pocketbook and laid down twenty dollars.
"There is your money," said he. "I can pay my way."

"But you are too old to attend a district school," the lawyer insisted.
"You can't go after you are twenty-one."

"But I have never been," old Zack argued. "I never used up my right to
go. I oughter have it now!"

"That isn't the point," declared the lawyer. "You're too old to go.
Besides, we are informed that you are keeping the lawful pupils from