He did not know that the boy had earned that quarter clearing off snow with a shovel that he had manufactured himself out of a broom-handle and a piece of a soap-box. Even Griffin was not all bad.
A much astonished gentleman was the one who was called to his door that evening to meet a delegation of high-school boys, one of whom handed him a five-dollar bill to pay for his broken window.
CHAPTER XVII.
HONOR TO WHOM HONOR IS DUE.
One morning, St. John, on his way to the class-room, stopped before a bulletin-board on which had been written the names of the institutions offering scholarships to the pupils of the high school.
He had overheard an occasional word about these scholarships, but really knew very little about them. So he stood there reading the list.
Then up the stairs behind him came half a dozen boys of section D. As they caught sight of St. John, they, too, stopped to see what he was reading. St. John, who seemed never to want any boy within a yard of him, turned to go, but, with a mischievous glance at the other, Reed stood still, and the others pressed closely together, penning St. John in to the little space between them and the board. Seeing their purpose, St. John’s face took on its haughtiest expression, and leaning against the board, he waited in angry silence for them to move aside and let him pass. But they, enjoying his discomfiture, stood laughing and chaffing one another, but never saying a word to him.
More and more boys joined the group, and, each one taking in the situation, stood there as if he had no intention of going farther that day.
Finally Dixon called out:—
“Say, boys, who’s going to take these prizes?” glancing at the board.