“I did,” replied Phil, “but he is afraid to, and he wouldn’t listen at all to my idea of telling Mr. Graham about it without mentioning Bosworth’s name.”
Dick grinned. Mr. Graham, the principal of Seaton, ruled the school with a strong hand. His was not a mailed fist in a velvet glove, but a strong, dexterous hand gloved in velvet with a mail back. The whole school saw the steel exterior; few really appreciated the gentleness of the clasp.
“I suppose they’d be fired if it came out,” went on Phil.
“They wouldn’t have time to say good-by, or at least Bosworth wouldn’t. I’m not so certain about Eddy.”
A knock at the door was followed by the appearance of a head. Seeing that the visitor was Tompkins, Phil opened his Greek Grammar and plunged vigorously into study as if he had no other interest in the world. Tompkins looked from one sober face to the other, then gave a glance over Phil’s shoulder at the page of the open book.
“Metres of Aristophanes! Is that what they give here to beginners in Greek? If it is, I’m glad I began out West.”
Phil shut the book with a bang, and replied half petulantly, half amused that he should have betrayed himself so easily, “No, it isn’t; I was thinking.”
“Unpleasant thoughts,” said Tompkins, with another glance at Melvin’s face. “Well, I guess I won’t bother you any more to-day.”
There was no reply to this, and the visitor moved toward the door. As his hand touched the knob a new thought struck him and he turned suddenly on the boy.
“You haven’t been losing your money, too, have you, Phil?”