“That isn’t quite fair, John,” said Frank, in a low voice.

“I am always glad to pay my homage to distinguished talent,” John proceeded, in the same tone.  “I feel how presumptuous I was in venturing to compete with a gentleman of such genius!”

“Do you mean to insult me?” asked Frank, growing angry.

“Oh, dear, no!  I am only expressing my high opinion of your talents!”

“Let him alone, John!” said Dick Jones, “It isn’t his fault that the teacher awarded the prize to him instead of you.”

“I hope you don’t think I care for that!” said John, snapping his fingers.  “He’s welcome to his rubbishing books; they don’t amount to much, anyway.  I don’t believe they cost more than two dollars at the most.  If you’d like to see what I got for my essay, I’ll show you.”

John pulled out his portemonnaie, and unrolled three new and crisp bank-notes of ten dollars each.

“I think that’s pretty good pay,” he said, looking about him triumphantly.  “I don’t care how many prizes Rathburn chooses to give his favorite.  I rather think I can get along without them.”

John’s face was turned toward the door, otherwise he would have observed the approach of the teacher, and spoken with more caution.  But it was too late.  The words had been spoken above his ordinary voice, and were distinctly heard by the teacher.  He looked sharply at John Haynes, whose glance fell before his, but without a word passed into the schoolroom.

“See if you don’t get a blowing-up, John,” said Dick Jones.

“What do I care!” said John, but in a tone too subdued to be heard by any one else.  “It won’t do Rathburn any harm to hear the truth for once in his life.”

“Well, I’m glad I’m not in your place, that’s all!” replied Dick.

“You’re easily frightened!” rejoined John, with a sneer.

Nevertheless, as he entered the schoolroom, and walked with assumed bravado to his seat in the back part of the room, he did not feel quite so comfortable as he strove to appear.  As he glanced stealthily at the face of the teacher, who looked unusually stern and grave, he could not help thinking, “I wonder whether he will say anything about it.”

Mr. Rathburn commenced in the usual manner; but after the devotional exercises were over, he paused, and, after a brief silence, during which those who had heard John’s words listened with earnest attention, spoke as follows: 

“As I approached the schoolroom this morning I chanced to catch some words which I presume were not intended for my ear.  If I remember rightly they were, ’I don’t care how many prizes Rathburn gives his favorite!’ There were several that heard them, so that I can be easily corrected if I have made any mistake.  Now I will not affect to misunderstand the charge conveyed by these words.  I am accused of assigning the prizes, or at least, one of them, yesterday, not with strict regard to