uld not tell a lie about the wad, so he answered slowly, "Yes,
ma'am."

"Who did it?"

There was no reply.

"Who threw the wad?"

She had flushed to her hair at the commencement of the inquisition, but
now the color slowly receded and the lines in her severe face became
like those in stone.

"Unless you tell me who threw the wad I shall punish you."

Jack remained silent. His little bosom filled with wrath because the
culprit would not speak up; but his honor was so strong that he would
not be "telltale." The teacher reached for her switch and told Jack to
step forward. Like a little man he marched up to her desk and stood, not
defiant, but humble and submissive, awaiting his punishment. Miss
Freeman stepped down from the platform with switch in hand, and again
demanded the name of the guilty one.

"I'll never tell," said Jack in a whisper.

There was a swish in the air and a sharp cracking noise as the rod smote
Jack around the fleshy part of his legs.

"Will you tell now?" asked the teacher again.

Jack made no answer, but shook his head and stifled a sob. He knew if he
relaxed his firmly shut teeth he would cry, so he gritted them and
prepared to receive the following blows without flinching. Thoroughly
maddened, the school ma'am finally threw off all endeavor of restraint
and showered blow after blow upon poor Jack's arms, legs and bare feet,
for it was summer and Jack followed the custom of other boys. But, it is
needless to say, that was the last day he went barefooted. The switch
was broken, but not the spirit in the boy. He had given way to tears,
which gushed forth because of bodily pain. He sought to protect his feet
and grabbed the infuriated school ma'am's skirt, and as the blows
descended he swung under the protecting expanse of hoops. This piece of
strategy perplexed the teacher, and as she had broken all her switches
she had to suspend hostilities until a new supply was gathered. Leaving
Jack and the school room, she hastened to the willows, which grew in
abundance just back of the building, and brought in a stick as big as a
cane, just in time to see Jack disappearing through the window and his
sturdy little legs, all striped with red marks, making tracks for home.

Episodes of this character followed Jack all through his school life. He
had a stern father, who always punished his children if they were
punished at school, no matter what the excuse, and on this occasion
there was no exceptio