k when she told him _he must not fail_, gave him courage.
Hard as it was to be, as he believed, unjustly punished, it was better
than having done anything very wrong--anything that he really could not
have told his mother.

Mr. Carnaby foresaw that a rebuke was in store for him for his
negligence during the walk on Saturday; and this anticipation did not
sweeten his mood. He kept the little boys waiting, though Holt was
trembling very much, and still weak from his illness. It occurred to the
usher that another person might be made uncomfortable; and he
immediately acted on the idea. He had observed how fond of one another
Dale and Hugh had become; and he thought he would plague Dale a little.
He therefore summoned him, and desired him to go, and bring him a
switch, to cane these boys with.

"I have broken my cane; so bring me a stout switch," said he, "Bring me
one out of the orchard; one that will lay on well--one that will not
break with a good hard stroke;--mind what I say--one that will not
break."

"Yes, sir," replied Dale, readily; and he went as if he was not at all
unwilling. Holt shivered. Hugh never moved.

It was long, very long, before Dale returned. When he did, he brought a
remarkably stout broomstick.

"This wont break, I think, sir," said he.

The boys giggled. Mr. Carnaby knuckled Dale's head as he asked him if he
called that a switch.

"Bring me a _switch_," said he. "One that is not too stout, or else it
will not sting. It must sting, remember,--sting well. Not too stout,
remember."

"Yes, sir," said Dale; and away he went again.

He was now gone yet longer; and by the time he returned everybody's eyes
were fixed on the door, to see what sort of a switch would next appear.
Dale entered, bringing a straw.

"I think this will not be too stout, sir."

Everybody laughed but Hugh--even Holt.

There was that sneer about Mr. Carnaby's nose which made everybody sorry
now for Dale: but everybody started, Mr. Carnaby and all, at Mr. Tooke's
voice, close at hand. How much he had seen and heard, there was no
knowing; but it was enough to make him look extremely stern.

"Are these boys not caned yet, Mr. Carnaby?"

"No, sir;--I have not--I----"

"Have they been standing here all this while?"

"Yes, sir. I have no cane, sir. I have been sending----"

"I ordered them an immediate caning, Mr. Carnaby, and not mental
torture. School is up," he declared to the boys at large. "You may
go--you have