"I—I did, sir," stammered Bob.
"Why did you do it? Did you want to make trouble, and cause Nellie to feel badly—saying you had the pocketbook she spoke of?"
"No, sir. I didn't mean anything about a pocketbook. I wasn't even listening to what Nellie said."
"Then why did you speak? What did you mean when you said, so we all could hear you, that you had it?"
Bob looked first at Frank, and then at Sammy. They, too, were wondering what he had meant by speaking aloud in school, especially during the closing exercises.
"I—I meant that I had an—idea," went on Bob, blushing redder than before.
"Well," said Mr. Tetlow, "perhaps you meant no wrong, but the next time you get an idea, please don't announce it to the whole school that way, and interrupt the proceedings." He was smiling now, and Bob knew he was forgiven.
Bob was usually a pretty good boy in school, and the principal realized this, for a thing like that had never happened before. Bob's explanation was accepted, and, as it was the last day, Mr. Tetlow did not want to punish him.
"Steady now! Quiet down!" said Mr. Tetlow to the pupils, for many of them showed signs of laughter again. "We will overlook it this time, Bob, but don't do it again. You may go on, Nellie. I think Bob is sorry he interrupted you."