e was called, and,
without raising his head, replied "100, sir."

Other names followed, and the boys gave up the marks allotted them
by Penny's system. Then came mine.

"Ray?"

For a second my voice or will failed me, so I pretended I had not
heard, and let him ask again.

"Ray?"

"_None, sir._"

Every boy turned towards me, and my cheeks burned to maroon. I
caught mutters of "Well, I'm hanged!" "Ye gods!" "Good-night!"

"Wh-what did you say?" stuttered Carpet Slippers.

I was irritated and nervous and replied rather too loudly:

"_None, sir._"

"None? Why none?"

"I didn't learn it."

The mutterings began again: "Oh, I say, stow it!" "Lie down."

"You didn't learn it? St-stand up when I question you. Wh-why didn't
you learn it?"

Here I failed. I had answered the first two questions truthfully
because I had reasoned about them. The third took me unawares. And,
such is the result of trifling with conscience, I had lost the knack
of doing right without premeditation. "We must have time to think,"
Radley had said bitterly, "or else we lie." Obliged to answer
without delay, I lied.

"I hadn't time, sir."

No sooner had I uttered the words than the dull and sickening sense
of failure came over me. In spite of all--in spite of the fact that
I had dealt honourably with the first two questions--I had ended by
lying. I sat down slowly, and stared vacantly in front of me. The
big moment had come and passed, and I had missed it. I couldn't
believe it. I had been determined, and yet I had failed. My breath
became tremulous, and across my brows went the sudden invasion of a
headache.

Little it matters what Fillet said. Destiny ordains for our
correction that there shall be some people before whom we shall
always appear at our worst. Fillet occupied that place in my
schooldays.

Little would it matter, either, what my fellow trade-unionists
thought of this black-leg in the camp, were it not for the
remarkable deed of Pennybet. He, I am convinced, felt that he must
rise to the occasion. There were few things he liked better than
rising to an occasion. Here was an opportunity for a _coup d'etat_.
Here, praise the gods, were circumstances to be tamed. So he at once
threw all his weight on my side, knowing full well that he had but
to do that to secure me from all persecution or contempt.

"P-pennybet?"

"Oh--er--none, sir."

"None? Another boy with none? Why none?"

Penny admired the nails on his righ