CHAPTER I

EXPELLED


"Andrew Wildwood!"

The village schoolmaster of Fairview spoke this name in a tone of
severity. He accompanied the utterance with a bang of the ruler that
made the desk before him rattle.

There was fire in his eye and his lip trembled. Half of the twenty odd
scholars before him looked frightened, the others interested. None had
ever before seen the dull, sleepy pedagogue so wrought up.

All eyes were fixed on a lad of about sixteen, seated in the front row
of desks.

The name called out applied to him. It had been abbreviated so commonly,
however, that its full dignity seemed to daze him for the moment.

Andrew Wildwood slowly arose, his big, fearless eyes fixed dubiously on
the schoolmaster.

"Yes, sir," he said.

"Step forward, sir."

Andy Wildwood did so. He was now in full view of the other scholars. Mr.
Darrow also arose. He thrust one hand behind his long coat tails,