e professor, smiling in a manner that proclaimed
his entire inability to perceive the point. "That must be the point of
the joke. Ah, yes. I see it distinctly now. It is very good! It is very
good, indeed!"

"Professor, can you tell me my marks? How am I doing in my Greek
lately?"

"I am not supposed to reply to such a question from any of the young
gentlemen, but I fawncy in a general way I may be able to respond to
your query. Ah, yes," he added, glancing at the page in the little book
before him wherein Will's record was contained, "there is an
improvement, not great, it is true, but still an improvement; and if
your work continues it will bring you almost up to the mark required."

"Almost?" exclaimed Will aghast. "You don't mean to say, do you, Mr.
Splinter--"

"Mr. _who?_" demanded the professor, instantly rising and his face
flushing again with anger.

CHAPTER XIX

A RARE INTERVIEW

Instantly Will Phelps was overwhelmed with confusion. His face flushed
crimson and his knees shook under the excitement which quickly seized
upon him. The opprobrious title by which the Greek professor was known
among the students and by which he was commonly spoken of by them had
slipped from his tongue almost unconsciously. He stood staring stupidly
into the professor's face, while visions of expulsion and future
difficulty flashed into his troubled mind.

"I beg your pardon, professor," he managed to ejaculate at last. "I did
not mean to say that. The word slipped out before I knew it. I am very
sorry for it, for I certainly did not intend to be disrespectful in any
way."

"You insulted me!" exclaimed the professor in a rage that under other
circumstances would have seemed almost ludicrous to Will. It was like
the anger of an infuriated canary bird or of some little child.

"Then I want to apologize," said Will quietly. "As I said, I certainly
did not intend to do anything of the kind."

"But you did," persisted the outraged teacher. "You most assuredly did."

"Can't you believe me when I say it was not intentional?"

"That does not excuse it, but I fawncy the tendency among the young
gentlemen of the college is to bestow appellations upon the various
members of the faculty that are not warranted."

"I have heard some of them spoken of in that way, but I don't think the
fellows meant either to be disrespectful or unkind," said Will eagerly.

"No, I fawncy it may in part be due to the thoughtlessness of yo