u art. Thou
looks one, but maybe thou'rt right to call him a liar."

"Ask him," gasped Jonah, "what he did to his old schoolfellow, young
Forrester, and then lot him call me a liar if he likes."

"Dost hear, lad? What was it thee did to thy old schoolfellow young
Forrester? That's a fair question. Out with it."

If Jeffreys had looked terrible a moment ago, he looked still more
terrible now, as he sank with a groan onto the bench, and turned a
sickened look on his accuser.

The dead silence of the room almost stunned him. He seemed to feel
every eye that turned to him like a dagger in his heart, and there rose
up in his mind a vision of that football field far away, and the
senseless figure of the boy who lay there. Everything came back. The
howl of execration, the frightened faces, the cap lying where the boy
had flung it, even the chill autumn breeze in his face.

He knew not how long he sat there stupefied. The voice of Mr Rosher
roused him.

"Coom, now, dost thou say liar still?"

Jeffreys struggled to his feet, no longer furious, but still more
terrible in his dejection.

"Yes," snapped Jonah, astonished at the effect of his accusation, and
just wise enough to see that to add to or take away from the story would
be to spoil it. "What did you do to your poor schoolfellow, young
Forrester? Do you suppose we don't see through you?"

"Hold thy tongue, little donkey!" said the farmer; "let's hear what he
has to say."

For a moment it seemed as if Jeffreys was about to take him at his word,
and say something. But his tongue failed him at the critical moment,
and he gave it up. He had caught sight of Teddy's eyes fixed on his in
mingled misery and terror, and the sight unmanned him.

He moved slowly to the door.

They watched him, spellbound, and in a moment he would have gone, had
not Teddy with a big sob made a spring forward and seized him by the
arm.

"Oh, Jeff it's a wicked he; we don't believe it. Freddy, we don't
believe it, do we? Father, he's been good to us; he never did anything
unkind. Don't have him sent away!"

This appeal fairly broke the spell. Freddy was at his brother's side in
an instant, and the rest of the school, had not Mr Rosher motioned them
back, would have followed him.

"Teddy and Freddy, my lads," said the farmer, "go to thy seats like good
lads. Let him say yea or nay to what this--little--peacher says."

"Say you didn't, Jeff," implored the boys.

Jeff