ssed of life. When it had become sufficiently lively, Mrs.
Preston wiped it dry, and put it between the lid and ball of Oscar's
inflamed eye. After it had remained there a few minutes, he allowed it
to drop into his hand, and on a close-examination, he found that it had
brought with it the offending substance that had caused him so much
pain. It was a little black speck, so small that it was barely
perceptible to the unaided eye. It now being quite late, Mrs. Preston
thought that further inquiries and answers concerning Oscar's visit had
better be deferred till morning, and the family soon retired to their
beds.

CHAPTER XX.

DOWNWARD PROGRESS

The next day was Saturday. Oscar was off most of the day with his
comrades, among whom he was quite a lion for the time. During one of
the brief intervals that he was in the house, his mother said some
thing about his going to school on Monday.

"O dear, I don't want to go to school again this term," said Oscar.
"What's the use? Why, it 's only four or five weeks before the term
will be through."

"I know that," replied his mother, "but your father is very anxious
that you should get into the High School, and he thinks you can do it
if you finish up this term."

"I can't do it--I 've got all behindhand with my studies," said Oscar.

"O yes, you can if you try," replied his mother. "You might have got
into the High School last year if you had studied a little harder. You
were almost qualified then, and I'm sure you ought to be now. If you
find you are behind your class in your lessons, you must study so much
the harder, and you 'll get up with them by-and-bye."

"But I don't believe it will do me any good to be confined in the
school-room," continued Oscar. "I don't think I'm so strong as I was
before I was sick."

"Well," said Mrs. Preston, "when you 're sick you need not go to
school; but I guess there 's no danger of your staying at home for that
reason, at present. You never looked better in your life than you do
now."

Oscar tried his pleas again in the evening with his father, but with
quite as poor success. He saw that it was fully determined that he
should resume his seat at school, and he reluctantly submitted to this
decision. When Monday morning came, he proceeded to school, but found
that his old desk was in possession of another boy. The head teacher
in Oscar's department soon appeared, and seemed quite glad to see him
once more. He