“You are not going to leave the institute, are you?”

“I shall write to my father in what manner I have been treated, and let him understand how the principal manages the school, and I feel sure he will withdraw me.”

“Ditto for me!” said Ben Platt.  “Old Sock’s partiality for his nephew has been carried too far, and now that the only decent teacher is going—­Mr. Crabb—­I don’t mean, to stay here if I can help it.”

The boys, upon their return to the school, sought out the principal.

“Well, boys,” he said, “have you come to confess?”

“No, sir,” answered Ben, “but we have come to give you some information about your money.”

“I was sure you knew something about it,” said Socrates, with a sneer.  “I am glad you have decided to make a clean breast of it.”

“You are mistaken, sir.”

“Well, out with your information!” said the principal, roughly.

“A five-dollar bill, marked as you have described, was paid to Mr. Washburn, the jeweler, only yesterday.”

“Ha!  Well?”

“The one who offered it purchased a gold ring.”

“I don’t care what he bought.  Who was it that offered the money?”

“Your nephew, James Smith!”

“I don’t believe it,” said the teacher, very much disconcerted.

“Then, sir, I advise you to question Mr. Washburn.”

“How can he identify the bill?  Is it the only five-dollar bill he has?”

“The only five-dollar bill on the Park Bank of New York, and he says he noticed that this was the bank that issued the bill handed him by your nephew.”

“What of that?”

“The note, which he still has in his possession, is marked just exactly as you have described.”

“It may have been marked since it came into Mr. Washburn’s hands,” said Socrates, but he was evidently very much disturbed by the intelligence.  He might not confess it, but he could not help believing that Jim was the thief, after all.

“You can go,” he said, harshly.  “I will look into this improbable story.”

CHAPTER XXV.

Smith institute grows unpopular.

Hector lost no time in drawing up a statement of the facts connected with the loss of the wallet, which he got Wilkins and Ben Platt to sign.  This he put into an envelope directed to Allan Roscoe, accompanied by a brief note, which I subjoin: 

“Mr. Roscoe:  I send you a statemeat, signed by two of my schoolmates, showing that the charge which Mr. Smith was in such a hurry to bring against me, in order to screen his nephew, who is the real thief, is wholly unfounded.  I am not particularly surprised that you were ready to believe it, nor do I care enough for your good opinion to worry.  I consider that it is due to myself, however, to prove to you that I have done nothing of which I need be