face turned from red to pale, and he moved about
uneasily in his seat. "Could Ben Platt have been hidden somewhere in the
room?" he asked himself, "If so, what was he to do?" There was but one
answer to this question. He must brazen it out, and boldly contradict
the witness. But he would bide his time. He would wait to hear what Ben
had to say.

"Did you put it in yourself?" asked Socrates, savagely.

"No, Mr. Smith, I didn't put it in," answered Ben, indignantly.

"None of your impudence, sir!" said the schoolmaster, irritated.

"I merely answered your question and defended myself," answered Ben.

There was a little murmur among the pupils, showing that their sympathy
was with the boy who had been so causelessly accused by the principal.

"Silence!" exclaimed Socrates, annoyed. "Now," he continued, turning
to Ben, "since you know who put the wallet into Roscoe's pocket--a very
remarkable statement, by the way--will you deign to inform me who did
it?"

"James Smith did it!" said Ben, looking over to the principal's nephew,
who was half expecting such an attack.

"It's a base lie!" cried Jim, but his face was blanched, his manner was
nervous and confused, and he looked guilty, if he were not so.

"My nephew?" asked Socrates, flurried.

"Yes, sir."

"It isn't so, Uncle Socrates," said Jim, excited. "I'll lick you, Ben
Platt, when we get out of school."

"You forget yourself, James," said Socrates, with a mildness he would
not have employed with any other pupil.

"I beg your pardon, Uncle Socrates," said Jim, with contrition, "but I
can't be silent when I am accused of things I don't do."

"To be sure, you have some excuse, but you should remember the respect
you owe to me. Then you did not do it?"

"Certainly not, sir."

"So it appears, Platt, that you have brought a false charge against
your fellow-pupil," said Mr. Smith, severely. "I can conceive of nothing
meaner."

"Mr. Smith," said Hector, "what right have you to say that the charge is
false? Is it the denial of your nephew? If he took the wallet he would,
of course, deny it."

"So would you!" retorted Socrates.

"No one saw me conceal it," said Hector, significantly.

Then Wilkins rose.

"Mr. Smith," he said, "I have some evidence to offer."

"Out with it, sir," said the principal, angrily, for he was fighting
against an inward conviction that his nephew was really the guilty
party.

"I was walking along the corridor about the time Pla