ehind
him, both couched in language little calculated to raise the moral
status of the already besmirched school.

But the boys' trouble was not over; they returned from the rout of the
trustee only to find the new master entering the scene of destruction.
He stood and looked about him with a manner just as quiet, but no
graver, than usual.

"How did the fire start?" he asked calmly.

The dauntless three stepped forward, headed by Scotty. In the old days
confession to McAllister did not appear in the code of schoolboy
honour; but there was something about this man, even though Scotty
cordially hated him, which demanded fair dealing. The new master
looked them over in a manner that was hardly complimentary. His
eyebrows rose.

"Children!" was all he said, but the word made Scotty writhe. Then he
did not scold or rave as the boys half-wished he would. He quietly
dismissed all but the three culprits, and saying he would give them
that afternoon and the next day to bring the school back to the
condition in which they had found it, and that done, he would prefer
that they remain at home under their parents' control for a month or
so, he turned on his heel and walked away with an air that said plainly
that this was no affair of his and was regarded by him with calm
indifference.

The boys were completely taken aback. Hitherto school discipline had
consisted exclusively of thrashings, which though uncomfortable had
some honour attached. But here was a new departure; to have to undo
all one's mischief, and then be contemptuously dismissed was a serious
affair. The new master acted as though he were the King of England
too, and certainly, with Gabby Johnny at his back, he was not to be
trifled with.

When the three arrived the next morning, armed with whitewash and
brushes, Dan and Hash were rather inclined to feel subdued, but not so
Scotty. In his home discipline was not so rigid as in that of the
other two, and his grandparents had not even heard of his escapade.
And his heart was still raging hot against the new master. The man had
dared to tell him he lied! The remembrance of it and Monteith's air of
calm superiority maddened him. How he longed to knock him down and
hear him take back his statement. Well, he could not do that, it
seemed, but he would wreak his vengeance in some other way.

So with Scotty in this mood the work of reparation did not go on very
steadily. His two companions tried to atte