"Coming to make some report, or some suggestion, I take it, eh, Cantwell?" murmured Mr. Gadsby in a low voice. "Most excellent idea, my dear fellow. Keeps you in notice and shows that your heart is in the work. Most excellent idea, really."
"I have a report to make," admitted Mr. Cantwell, in an equally low voice. "I—-I find it necessary to make a statement about the doings of a rather troublesome element in the school. Suspension or expulsion may be necessary in order to give the best ideas of good discipline to many of the other students. But I shall state the facts, and ask the Board to advise me as to just what I ought to do in the premises."
"Ask the Board's advice? Most excellent idea, really," murmured Mr. Gadsby. "You can't go wrong then. But—-er—-what's the nature of the trouble? Who is the offen——-"
Mr. Gadsby was rubbing his hands, under his coat tails, as he felt the warmth from the steam radiator reach them.
"Why, the principal offender is named——-"
Here Mr. Cantwell paused, and looked rather astonished.
"Tell me, Mr. Gadsby, what is Prescott, of the sophomore class, doing here?"
The principal's glance had just rested on Dick, who sat at a small side table, a little pile of copy paper on the table, a pencil in his hand.
"Oh—-ah—-Prescott, Richard Prescott?" inquired Mr. Gadsby. "Some of us were a bit surprised this evening to learn that Prescott, though he will continue to attend High School, has also taken a position with 'The Morning Blade.' Among other things to which he will attend, after this, Cantwell, is the matter of school doings in this city. He is to be the regular reporter of School Board meetings. Rather a young man to wield the power of the press isn't he?" Mr. Gladsby chuckled at his own joke.
"'Power of the press'?" murmured Mr. Cantwell, uncomfortably.
"Surely you don't mean, Gadsby, that this mere boy, this High
School student, is going to be taken here seriously as representing
the undoubtedly great power of the press?"