The words were scarcely out of Mr. Caesar’s mouth, before every boy was protesting.  I caught above the confusion such complaints as:  “Oh, sir!” “But really, sir,” or a more sullen:  “I never touched the beastly clock!” or even a frank:  “I won’t do it.”  I observed that Penny was taking advantage of the noise to deliver an emotional sermon, which he accompanied with passionate gestures and concluded by turning eastward and profanely repeating the ascription:  “And now to God the Father—­”

A sudden silence, and every boy sits awkwardly in his place.  Radley’s tall figure stood in the room:  and the door was being shut by his hand.  I kept my eyes fixed on him.  I was changed.  I no longer felt disorderly nor impudent:  for disorderliness and impudence in me were but unnatural efforts to copy Pennybet, that master-fool.  I dropped into my natural self, a thing of shyness and diffidence.  I was not conscious of any ill-will towards Radley for returning to his class-room, when he was not expected; it was just a piece of bad fortune for me.  I was about to be “whacked,” I knew; and, though I did not move, I felt strange emotions within me.  Certainly I was a little afraid, for Radley whacked harder than they all.

And then, as usual, my brain ran down a wildly irrelevant course.  I reflected that the height of my ambition would be reached, if I could grow into as tall a man as Radley.  My frame, at present, gave no promise of developing into that of a very tall man; but henceforth I would do regular physical exercises of a stretching character, and eschew all evils that retarded the growth.  In the enthusiasm of a new aim, towards which I would start this very day, I almost forgot my present embarrassing position.  Hasty calculations followed as to how much I would have to grow each year.  Let me see, how old was I?  Just thirteen.  How many years to grow in?

“Who is the ringleader of this?” asked Radley..

I stood up and whispered:  “Me, sir.”

Somehow a ready acknowledgment seemed to agree with my latest ambition.

“Then come and stand out here.  You know you ought to be caned, so you’ll thoroughly enjoy it.  In fact, being a decent boy, you’d be miserable without it.”

Here Mr. Caesar, who bore no grudge against Radley for assuming the reins of command, whispered to him; and Radley asked the class: 

“Who touched the clock?”

“I did, sir.”

It was Doe’s voice.

“Why didn’t you say so before?”

“I was just going to when you came in.”

Radley looked straight into the brown eyes of the boy who was supposed to be his favourite, and Doe looked back unshiftingly; he had heard those condemned, who did not look people straight in the face, and I fancy he rather exaggerated his steady return gaze.

“I’m sure you were,” said Radley.

Then the foreman of the other boys got up.