ived. It was the same Board
as in the year before. All the members had been re-elected at
the last city election, though some of them by small majorities.
Mr. Gadsby, one of the members who had won by only a slight margin
over his opponent, stood with his back to a radiator, warming
himself, when he saw the door open.

Mr. Gadsby nodded most genially to Mr. Cantwell, who entered.
The principal came straight over to this member, and they shook
hands cordially. Mr. Gadsby had been one of the members of the
Board who had been most anxious about having Cantwell appointed
principal; Cantwell was, in fact, a family connection of Mrs.
Gadsby's.

"Coming to make some report, or some suggestion, I take it, eh,
Cantwell?" murmured Mr. Gadsby in a low voice. "Most excellent
idea, my dear fellow. Keeps you in notice and shows that your
heart is in the work. Most excellent idea, really."

"I have a report to make," admitted Mr. Cantwell, in an equally
low voice. "I---I find it necessary to make a statement about
the doings of a rather troublesome element in the school. Suspension
or expulsion may be necessary in order to give the best ideas
of good discipline to many of the other students. But I shall
state the facts, and ask the Board to advise me as to just what
I ought to do in the premises."

"Ask the Board's advice? Most excellent idea, really," murmured
Mr. Gadsby. "You can't go wrong then. But---er---what's the
nature of the trouble? Who is the offen-----"

Mr. Gadsby was rubbing his hands, under his coat tails, as he
felt the warmth from the steam radiator reach them.

"Why, the principal offender is named-----"

Here Mr. Cantwell paused, and looked rather astonished.

"Tell me, Mr. Gadsby, what is Prescott, of the sophomore class,
doing here?"

The principal's glance had just rested on Dick, who sat at a small
side table, a little pile of copy paper on the table, a pencil
in his hand.

"Oh---ah---Prescott, Richard Prescott?" inquired Mr. Gadsby.
"Some of us were a bit surprised this evening to learn that Prescott,
though he will continue to attend High School, has also taken
a position with 'The Morning Blade.' Among other things to which
he will attend, after this, Cantwell, is the matter of school
doings in this city. He is to be the regular reporter of School
Board meetings. Rather a young man to wield the power of the
press isn't he?" Mr. Gladsby chuckled at his own joke.

"'Power of the