There was a shuffling of feet. Two or three of the Board laughed
harshly.

"Oh, well!" burst almost incoherently from the trapped boy. "When
you employ such methods as these you make a fellow tell on himself!"

All his 'brass' was gone now. He looked, indeed, a most pitiable
object as he stood there, his lower jaw drooped and his cheeks
twitching.

"I think you have said about all, Mr. Drayne, that it is necessary
for you to say," interposed the chairman. "Still, in the interest
of fair play we will allow you to make any further statements that
you may wish to make. Have you anything to offer?"

"No!" he uttered, at last, gruffly.

At a sign from the chairman the clerk stepped silently over, took
Phin by one elbow, and led him to the door. Phin passed on out
of the building, stumbling blindly. He got home, somehow, and
into bed.

In the morning, however, even a sneak is braver.

"What can they do to me, anyway?" muttered Phin, as he dressed.
"I didn't break any of the laws of the state! All anyone can
do is to cut me. I'll show 'em all how little I care for their
contempt."

So it was not wholly in awe that Phin Drayne entered the general