ntlemen," began the principal, "a very
silly hoax was perpetrated on me yesterday. I do not believe
you will have any difficulty in understanding what I mean. But
the matter went beyond this school room. An account of the hoax
was published in the morning paper, and that holds me up to severe
ridicule. I trust that we shall not have any repetition of such
childish, so-called jokes. I do not know yet what action I may
or may not take in this matter, and can promise nothing. I can
and do promise, however, that if any more such hoaxes are attempted
I shall do all in my power to ferret out and summarily punish
the offenders!-----"

Here the principal's own sense of prudence warned him that he
had gone quite as far as was necessary or prudent. So he choked
down his rising words and called for the morning singing. Yet,
as Mr. Cantwell uttered his last words his glance fell very sternly
on one particular young member of the sophomore class. Dick Prescott.

"Prin. has it in for you, old fellow!" whispered Dave Darrin,
as he and Dick jostled on the way to a recitation. "But if he
has---humph---it won't be long before he finds out that you had
some help. You shan't be the scapegoat for all of Dick & Co."

"Don't say anything," Dick whispered back. "I'll find a way to
take care of myself. If any trouble is to come, I think I can
take care of it. Anyway, I won't have anyone else dragged into it."

But the principal said nothing more during that school session.
In the afternoon, however, when Mr. Cantwell took his accustomed
walk after dinner, he met several acquaintances who made laughing
or casual references to the yarn in the morning's "Blade."

"I've got to stamp this spirit out in the school," decided the
principal, again at a white heat. "If I don't I'll soon have
some real trouble on hand with these young jackanapes! The idea
of their making me---the principal---ridiculous in the town!
No school principal can submit to hoaxes like that one without
suffering in public esteem. I'll sift this matter down and nip
the whole spirit in the bud."

In this Mr. Cantwell was quite possibly at error in judgment.
Probably the High School boys wouldn't have played such a prank
on good old Dr. Thornton, had he still been their school chief.
But, if they had, Dr. Thornton would have admitted the joke good-humoredly
and would have taken outside chaffing with a good nature that
would have disarmed all wit aimed at him.