“That would be setting a fine example, wouldn’t it?”

“As a matter of fact, it would,” replied Mr. Conklin earnestly.  “I wish I could convince Fernald of it!”

Meanwhile, Clint and Penny, both chastened and uneasy, were reviewing the episode in Penny’s room.

“I suppose he will report it,” said Penny.  “If he does, and Mr. Fernald believes Dreer’s story, it’ll cost me that scholarship.”

“I don’t see why he should believe Dreer any more than you and me,” Clint objected.

“I’m afraid he will want to.  He hates to have fellows fight.  I’m glad you kept out of it, anyway.”

“I’m not!  It wouldn’t have made so much difference with me, Durkin.”

“You might have been put on probation Thayer, and that would have kept you off the football team.”

“Probation just for—­for that?” exclaimed the other incredulously.

“Wouldn’t be surprised,” replied Penny.  “Josh is rabid on the subject.  Well, there’s no use crying over spilled milk.  And, anyhow, I’m glad I did it!  Only I wish it had been Dreer instead of Beaufort!”

“So do I,” muttered Clint.

Amy, when he heard of it, was devastated with sorrow.  “And I wasn’t there!” he wailed.  “Just my silly luck!  Tell me about it.  You say Penny knocked him out!”

The next forenoon the summons came from the Office and at twelve o’clock Penny, Clint and Dreer were admitted to the inner sanctuary one at a time and grilled by Mr. Fernald.  Penny’s forebodings were none too dismal, as events proved.  Probation was awarded to Penny and Dreer, while Clint was unmercifully lectured.  Unfortunately, their sense of honour kept both Penny and Clint silent as to the underlying cause of the affair, and the principal’s efforts to find out why Dreer should have set Beaufort to pick a quarrel with Penny, as both Penny and Clint claimed, were unsuccessful.  Naturally enough, Dreer himself failed to throw light on this matter.  Mr. Fernald refused to believe that any boy would deliberately seek the help of another to administer punishment to a third.  He was willing to exonerate Penny and Clint from the charge of throwing stones, but insisted that it always took two to make a quarrel and that if Penny had chosen to observe the rules of the school he could have done so.  For his part, Clint left the inner office feeling that he had been extremely lucky to have escaped hanging or life imprisonment, to say nothing of probation!  Poor Penny was pretty downcast, Amy was furious and declared his intention of going to Mr. Fernald and telling the real truth of the whole affair.  But Penny wouldn’t listen to that.

“You can’t do it, Byrd,” he said.

“Why can’t I?” Amy demanded.

“Because it wouldn’t be decent,” replied Penny earnestly.  “You know that.  A fellow can’t—­can’t tell tales, you see.”

“But, hang it all, you’re letting Dreer get away with it!  He busted your fiddle and set Beaufort on you and all he gets is a month’s pro!  And he doesn’t care whether he’s on pro or not.  It doesn’t make any difference to him.  You’re the one who’s getting the short end of it.  You’re losing your scholarship as sure as shooting!”