o heartless a
trick on a schoolmate. He said that it was as much thieving to get your
fun at the expense of another as to steal his money. And while he
talked, all eyes were turned on Hank--all except the eyes of Mirandy
Means. They looked simperingly at Ralph. All the rest looked at Hank.
The fire had made his face very red. Shocky noticed that. Betsey Short
noticed it, and giggled. The master wound up with an appropriate
quotation from Scripture. He said that the person who displaced that
board had better not be encouraged by the success--he said _success_
with a curious emphasis--of the present experiment to attempt another
trick of the kind. For it was set down in the Bible that if a man dug a
pit for the feet of another he would be very likely to fall in it
himself. Which made all the pupils look solemn, except Betsey Short, who
giggled. And Shocky wanted to. And Mirandy cast an expiring look at
Ralph. And if the teacher was not love-sick, he certainly was sick of
Mirandy's love.

[Illustration: HANK BANTA'S IMPROVED PLUNGE BATH]

When school was "let out," Ralph gave Hank every caution that he could
about taking cold, and even lent him his overcoat, very much against
Hank's will. For Hank had obstinately refused to go home before the
school was dismissed.

Then the master walked out in a quiet and subdued way to spend the noon
recess in the woods, while Shocky watched his retreating footsteps with
loving admiration. And the pupils not in the secret canvassed the
question of who moved the board. Bill Means said he'd bet Hank did it,
which set Betsey Short off in an uncontrollable giggle. And Shocky
listened innocently.

But that night Bud said slyly: "Thunder and lightning! what a manager
you _air_, Mr. Hartsook!" To which Ralph returned no reply except a
friendly smile. Muscle paid tribute to brains that time.

But Ralph had no time for exultation; for just here came the
spelling-school.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 11: This word _plunder_ is probably from Pennsylvania, as it
is exactly equivalent to the German word _plunder_, in the sense of
household effects, the original meaning of the word in German. Any kind
of baggage may be called _plunder_, but the most accepted sense is
household goods. It is quite seriously used. I have seen bills of lading
on the Western waters certifying that A.B. had shipped "1 lot of
plunder;" that is, household goods. It is here used figuratively for
goods in general.]

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