It was even so. Unexpected business made it necessary for Mr. Hamlin to leave at this short notice, and it had been decided that David should go with him, and so his seat in section D was vacant the next day, and for many days after.
Stanley Clark was the first boy in the school-room the next morning, and he waited impatiently for the teacher’s appearance, as he wanted to speak to him alone; but Mr. Horton was later than usual, and several boys were in the room when he came in. Henderson’s seat was on the front row, and he strained his ears to hear what Clark was saying, but he only caught Mr. Horton’s reply, “You are sure that there is no mistake about this, Clark?” and then, “Very well, I will attend to it later.”
Clark took his seat, and the morning recitations went on as usual till just before the closing hour, when Mr. Horton ordered books put away and the attention of the class given to him. The order was quickly obeyed and all eyes turned toward him, while a most unusual silence reigned.
“It has come to my knowledge,” began Mr. Horton, “that some very mean and contemptible methods have been employed in this class to prevent scholars who are really anxious to do well from making perfect recitations. If anything of this sort is done hereafter, I shall give the offenders the severest possible punishment. The disorderly element in this section shall be put down or put out of the school. In the matter of scholarship I have no fault to find with you as a class, but you are fast getting the reputation of being the roughest and most disorderly section in the school. Surely there are some among you who are, to say the least, too gentlemanly to be willing to have your section so distinguished, and I call upon all such to see to it, that you use all your influence in behalf of law and order, and do your utmost to secure a different reputation for section D.”
Many and various were the opinions expressed, as, school being dismissed, the boys talked over the matter so forcibly presented to them. Crawford’s face was dark with anger as he walked on discussing with his “crowd” the teacher’s severe remarks.
“I believe that sneaking Clark’s at the bottom of it,” he was saying angrily; “he was hobnobbing with Horton before school, and I’ll bet a cooky he put Bobby up to it.”
“Of course he did,” added Henderson. “I heard Bobby say, ‘You’re sure there’s no mistake about this, Clark?’ and then thank him for the information he had given.”
“Do you hear that, fellows?” cried Crawford. “That’s the sort of chap Clark is. Couldn’t lower himself to fight, but he can lower himself to tattle to Bobby.”
“But, Crawford, it might have been something else he was talking about. We don’t know that he was tattling,” said a boy named Graham.
“Know,” repeated Crawford impatiently. “As if there was any question about it. I don’t believe there’s another fellow in the room who would tell tales, and I move that we nip this thing in the bud, and put down blabbing and tattling once for all.”