"I have a question to put, to which I desire a truthful answer. It has come to my knowledge that one or more of the boys from this school, in defiance of my most express commands, were seen at the river fishing on Saturday; and now I request that the boy or boys who were guilty of the act will stand up and say so, in order that the odium of it may at least not fall on the wrong party."
A dead silence fell on all, but no response was made, no boy stood up.
Dr. Bowles looked sorely grieved. He threw a pained glance at each; then he said, "I number amongst my so-called young gentlemen a coward as well as a law-breaker."
Still no word was spoken.
Then the question was put to each, "Were you at the river on Saturday; and if so, were you fishing in it?"
Each boy answered, "No;" some, it might be, less distinctly than others, but all in the negative.
Dr. Bowles fairly groaned, but dismissed the boys without another word.
Presently, to his no small amazement, Ronald Macintosh was requested to go to Dr. Bowles in his study. The look he met as he entered the room was one to be remembered. Mingled with sternness, there was in it so much of heart-felt grief.
"Ronald Macintosh," were the words which greeted him, "had I been asked which of all the boys under my care I believed to be the most truly Christian one, I would have said it was you. Deep, therefore, is my grief when I find that, so far from that being the case, you have proved yourself a breaker of the laws of the school, a coward, and, much as I dislike to use the word, a liar!"
The lad's hot Highland blood was up in a moment, and, without thinking to whom he spoke, he exclaimed passionately, proudly: