said Margaret.

"It would be impossible to do so always," said both the Latin scholars
at once.

"Well, I can't think how you can take it so quietly," said Ethel. "I
would have told papa the first moment, and put a stop to it. I have a
great mind to do so, if you won't.

"Ethel, Ethel, that would never do!" exclaimed Margaret, "pray don't.
Papa would be so dreadfully grieved and angry with poor Tom."

"Well, so he deserves," said Ethel.

"You don't know what it is to see papa angry," said Richard.

"Dear me, Richard!" cried Ethel, who thought she knew pretty well what
his sharp words were. "I'm sure papa never was angry with me, without
making me love him more, and, at least, want to be better."

"You are a girl," said Richard.

"You are higher spirited, and shake off things faster," said Margaret.

"Why, what do you think he would do to Tom?"

"I think he would be so very angry, that Tom, who, you know, is timid
and meek, would be dreadfully frightened," said Richard.

"That's just what he ought to be, frightened out of these tricks."

"I am afraid it would frighten him into them still more," said Richard,
"and perhaps give him such a dread of my father as would prevent him
from ever being open with him."

"Besides, it would make papa so very unhappy," added Margaret. "Of
course, if poor dear Tom had been found out in any positive deceit, we
ought to mention it at once, and let him be punished; but while it is
all vague suspicion, and of what papa has such a horror of, it would
only grieve him, and make him constantly anxious, without, perhaps,
doing Tom any good."

"I think all that is expediency," said Ethel, in her bluff, abrupt way.

"Besides," said Richard, "we have nothing positive to accuse him of, and
if we had, it would be of no use. He will be at school in three weeks,
and there he would be sure to shirk, even if he left it off here. Every
one does, and thinks nothing of it."

"Richard!" cried both sisters, shocked. "You never did?"

"No, we didn't, but most others do, and not bad fellows either. It is
not the way of boys to think much of those things."

"It is mean--it is dishonourable--it is deceitful!" cried Ethel.

"I know it is very wrong, but you'll never get the general run of boys
to think so," said Richard.

"Then Tom ought not to go to school at all till he is well armed against
it," said Ethel.

"That can't be helped," said Richard. "He will get clear of it in time,
when