ave a few words to say to you before you go," said Mr. Acton,
pausing with his hand on the bell, Monday afternoon, when the hour came
for dismissing school.

The bustle of putting away books and preparing for as rapid a departure
as propriety allowed, subsided suddenly, and the boys and girls sat as
still as mice, while the hearts of such as had been guilty of any small
sins began to beat fast.

"You remember that we had some trouble last winter about keeping the
boys away from the saloon, and that a rule was made forbidding any
pupil to go to town during recess?" began Mr. Acton, who, being a
conscientious man as well as an excellent teacher, felt that he was
responsible for the children in school hours, and did his best to aid
parents in guarding them from the few temptations which beset them in
a country town. A certain attractive little shop, where confectionery,
baseballs, stationery, and picture papers were sold, was a favorite
loafing place for some of the boys till the rule forbidding it was made,
because in the rear of the shop was a beer and billiard saloon. A wise
rule, for the picture papers were not always of the best sort; cigars
were to be had; idle fellows hung about there, and some of the lads, who
wanted to be thought manly, ventured to pass the green baize door "just
to look on."

A murmur answered the teacher's question, and he continued, "You all
know that the rule was broken several times, and I told you the next
offender would be publicly reprimanded, as private punishments had no
effect. I am sorry to say that the time has come, and the offender is a
boy whom I trusted entirely. It grieves me to do this, but I must keep
my promise, and hope the example will have a good effect."

Mr. Acton paused, as if he found it hard to go on, and the boys looked
at one another with inquiring eyes, for their teacher seldom punished,
and when he did, it was a very solemn thing. Several of these anxious
glances fell upon Joe, who was very red and sat whittling a pencil as if
he dared not lift his eyes.

"He's the chap. Won't he catch it?" whispered Gus to Frank, for both
owed him a grudge.

"The boy who broke the rule last Friday, at afternoon recess, will come
to the desk," said Mr. Acton in his most impressive manner.

If a thunderbolt had fallen through the roof it would hardly have caused
a greater surprise than the sight of Jack Minot walking slowly down the
aisle, with a wrathful flash in the eyes h