"It will be quite easy to hide the truth from the master, James," said Hiram; "and I'll tell you how. Shut up the desk now and lock it, and then, when he asks about it, we will say that we saw you put all the books and papers and other things safely away in the desk, and lock it up. That is all true, you know. Then he will think that in some way the desk has got a jolt, which upset the inkstand after it was closed."
"Why, Hiram!" said James in an amazed tone, "do you think I would tell a lie?"
"That would not be telling a lie, I am sure," said Hiram; "for you did put all the things safely by in the desk; and that was all I told you to say. You need not tell him how the ink was spilt. Let him guess that."
"Yes," said Edward; "for he will not be likely to say, 'James Black, was it you who upset my inkstand?' and if he does not, I do not see that there need be any lie told in the case."
"I do not see how I can help telling a lie, unless I tell the whole story in full, just as it came about," said James.
"Well, I do not see where you can find one false word in all I told you to say," said Hiram.
"It is certainly a lie to pretend to tell the whole story, and yet keep back the chief part of it, and that, too, which is most to the point," said James.
"Then, what do you mean to do?" asked Hiram.
"Tell the whole story in full, to be sure, and not keep back a single part of it which the master ought to know; then say to him that I am very sorry that I did not go on doing my duty, as I should have done, and that I hope he will pardon me for it," said James in a firm, clear tone.
"What! Do you mean to tell that we came back to school after we had been sent home?" asked one of the boys, with an angry shake of the head.