to Bad Company 226

XXIII. Dick Makes His Stand for Honor 235

XXIV. Conclusion 247

The Grammar School Boys of Gridley

CHAPTER I

"OLD DUT" TELLS A STORY--DICK ANOTHER

"Master Prescott, what are you doing?"

The voice of Mr. E. Dutton Jones rasped out rather sharply, jarring on
the generally studious air of the eighth-grade room of the Central
Grammar School.

"What were you doing, Master Prescott?" repeated the stern voice of the
principal.

Dick Prescott had glanced up, somewhat startled and confused. By this
time every boy's and girl's eyes had turned away from text-books toward
Dick Prescott.

"I was whispering, sir," confessed Dick.

"Oh, was that all?" demanded the somewhat ironical voice of Mr. E.
Dutton Jones, more commonly known as "Old Dut."

"Yes, sir."

"To whom were you whispering?"

"To Master Hazelton."

"If I am intruding on no confidences, what were you whispering about?"
continued Old Dut.

"I----" began Dick, and then his face turned still more red under the
curious gaze of some fifty boys and girls. "I was telling Master
Hazelton a funny story."

"Do you think it was very funny?" inquired Old Dut.

"The story? Yes, sir."

The broad grin that promptly spread over Harry Hazelton's face seemed to
confirm Dick's claim as to the humorous quality of the story.

"Master Prescott," adjudged the principal, "you may rise in your seat
and tell the story to the whole class, myself included. On this dull,
rainy day I feel certain that we all need a good laugh."

A smile that grew to a titter in some quarters of the room greeted Dick
as he struggled half-shamefacedly to his feet.

"Go on with the story," encouraged Old Dut. "Or, rather, begin at the
beginning. That's the right way to serve up a story."

"I--I'd rather not tell the story, sir," protested young Prescott.

"Why not?" demanded the principal sharply.

"Well, because, sir--I'd rather not. That's all."

Principal Jones frequently employed that grilling way of questioning one
of his pupils, and his implied sarcasm had a very effective way of
making young offenders squirm before the class.

Whispering, in itself, is not a criminal offense, yet it often has a sad
effect on the discipline of a schoolroom, and of late Old Dut had been
much annoyed by whisperers.

"So you won't tell us all that choice story, eh, Master Prescott?"
insisted the principal, half