"I never knew the little rascal to do an errand without doing some mischief with it," added his father. "But he does not mean anything very bad. There's no danger of his doing much damage; so let us forget him for the present, Chester, and talk over your affairs."
V.
CHESTER'S CONFESSION.
Chester could no longer evade the leading question, "Why had he left the academy?" Much as he dreaded giving an account of his conduct, he could not put it off.
As he anticipated, his father was inexpressibly irritated, and his mother decidedly cross, when he confessed that he had been expelled.
"What did you do to bring such disgrace upon your name?" groaned Mr. Royden, more grieved than angry.
"Well," replied Chester, with a burning face, yet without descending from his proud demeanor, "I suppose I transgressed some of their old fogy laws."
"Broke their regulations! But it must have been something outrageous, to result in an expulsion. Tell the whole truth, Chester."
The young man hesitated no more, but made a "clean breast" of the affair. His expulsion had not been a public one, the daughter of the principal having been intimately concerned in his transgressions. Chester had met her clandestinely, won her affections, and brought about an engagement of marriage between them, contrary to her father's will and commands.