on
that."

Oscar was now two-thirds of the way through his last year in the school
he attended. His parents were anxious that he should go through the
High School course of studies, and, indeed, he had applied for
admission to that school the summer previous to this, but did not pass
the examination. There was still some doubt whether he would succeed
any better at the next examination; and in case of his failure, his
parents had decided to send him to a boarding-school in the country.
But there was nothing very alarming to him in the idea of going into
such an establishment, notwithstanding all his father said of the
strict discipline to which he would be subjected. There would be a
novelty about it, he imagined, that would make it quite pleasant.
Consequently, he cared very little whether he was accepted as a High
School pupil or not.

CHAPTER XI.

THE MORAL LESSON.

Oscar had the name among his fellows of being a shrewd and sharp boy at
a bargain; and, like too many men who have acquired a similar
reputation, he was not over-scrupulous in his manner of conducting his
business operations. If he could drive a profitable trade, it mattered
little _how_ he did it; and if somebody else lost as much as he gained
by the bargain, that was not his business; every one must look out for
himself. So he reasoned, and so constantly did he act on this
principle, that, to tell the truth, his integrity was by no means
unimpeachable among his comrades. It was a very general opinion, that
in many of their boyish games, such as marbles, he would cheat if he
could get a chance; and the notion was equally prevalent, that in a
bargain, he was pretty sure to get decidedly the best end.

Oscar was very desirous that his dog Tiger should wear a brass collar,
by way of ornament and distinction. All other respectable dogs bore
upon their necks this badge of ownership, and he thought it highly
important that Tiger should be on a good footing with his canine
friends. But how to get the collar, was the question that perplexed
him. He had asked his father to buy it, and met with a flat refusal.
He had even called at several shops, and inquired the price of the
coveted article, but it was hopelessly beyond his means. The subject
lay heavily upon his mind for several days, for when he took a notion
that he wanted a thing, it was hard to reason or drive him out of it.
His thoughts and his dreams were of brass dog-collars, and hi