"What do you mean?"

"Why, sir, whenever anything of that sort is hatched up in this
school, it's generally a pretty safe guess that Dick & Co. are
at the bottom of it all."

"Dick & Co.?" repeated Mr. Cantwell.

"Dick Prescott and his chums, sir," replied Ripley, rapidly naming
the five partners. Then, having accomplished what he wanted,
Fred sauntered out.

"I'll look into this further," thought Mr. Cantwell, angrily.
"If I can satisfy myself that Prescott was at the bottom of this
wicked hoax then I---I may find it possible to make him want to
cut his High School course short!"

Mrs. Cantwell was waiting at the gate.

"What on earth, Abner, did you mean by sending me this great cartload
of pennies?" demanded the principal's spouse. "Here I've taken
it up to the bank, and find they won't accept it---not in this
form, anyway. Now, I've carried it this far, Abner, and you may
carry it the rest of the way home."

"Why---er---er---" stammered the principal.

"Mr. Getchel brought the satchel to me, and told me it was money
you had sent me. But I want to say, Abner, that of all the-----"