“We didn’t drink much,” said Mark.

“I shall not inquire how much you drank.  In drinking a single glass, you violated the rule of the school, and I cannot pass over it.”

“What is he going to do with us, I wonder?” thought Mark.

He was not required to wonder long.

“As this is your first offense, so far as I know,” proceeded the principal, “I will not be severe.  You are both suspended from the institution for the remainder of the term, and are required to leave Bridgeville by the early train to-morrow morning for your respective homes.  I shall write to your parents, explaining the cause of your suspension.”

But a week remained of the term, and the punishment was mild, but both boys were mortified and left the study crestfallen.

Mark was the first to recover his spirits.

“It is not so bad, James,” he said.  “To-morrow will be Saturday, and I should go home, anyway.  I don’t mind staying at home next week.”

“What will your father say?”

“Oh, I’ll make it all right with him!  I don’t mind much what he says.  I guess he got into scrapes himself when he was a boy.”

“My father isn’t so easily managed.  Just as likely as not, he’ll cut off my allowance for a month; and that’ll be no joke!”

“My father won’t do that,” said Mark.  “If he did, I would raise a fuss.”

“Would that do any good?”

“I’ll bet it would!”

Frank, who was quite ignorant of Mark’s trouble, was surprised when the latter approached him a little later with a frown and said, harshly: 

“You won’t make anything by what you have done, Frank Courtney!”

“Will you be kind enough to tell me what I have done?” asked Frank, calmly.

“You’ve been to Dr. Brush and told him about our playing billiards.”

“You are entirely mistaken, Mark.  I did not suppose he knew.”

“It must have been you.  He told us some one had informed him, and you were the only one who knew.  It’s a mean trick, isn’t it, Carson?”

“Awfully mean!”

“I have already told you that the information did not come from me.  It may be the best thing for you that it has been found out, for it was doing you no good to frequent such places.”

“I don’t want to hear any of your preaching, Frank Courtney.  I guess I can manage my own affairs without any advice from you.”

“I don’t care to intrude any advice,” said Frank.  “I have not much reason to feel interested in you.”

“You’d better look out how you treat me, though,” said Mark, insolently.  “I know very well you dislike me, but it won’t be safe for you to show it while you are a dependent on my father.”

“I don’t propose to be a dependent on him long,” said Frank, quietly.  “The truth of it is, you and your father are dependent upon property which of right belongs to me.  The time may come when I shall be able to show this.”