engaged in such petty pilfering. I don't believe the boys for
a moment credited the girls with any real stealing."

"We didn't," spoke up Dick promptly. "We knew there was a string
to the joke somewhere."

"These young ladies consulted me," went on Dr. Bentley. "Of course
they wanted the whole matter kept very quiet, and they made me
promise secrecy. I told them that I didn't like their plan at
all, but they coaxed, and I will admit that I yielded to their
coaxing very much against my best judgment. They wanted to be
able to say that they hadn't paid the farmer, or made any arrangement
whatever with him. That much is true. They didn't approach the
farmer---they sent me. I went to Farmer Gibson and made the
arrangement with him for the supplies, paying him in advance a fair
price for whatever the young ladies would take out of his garden.
Yet, in spite of my care in the matter, and my very explicit
directions to them, it seems that they went astray, and descended
upon the truck garden of Mr. Dobson, instead of that of Mr. Gibson.
Mr. Dobson, not having received any pay, very naturally objected to
being looted of his vegetables while Mr. Gibson received the money.
But I have been able to explain matters in a satisfactory manner
to Mr. Dobson, and have sent him on his ways"

Eight very crestfallen high school girls listened to this recital.

The boys, had they not felt a manly sympathy for their discomfited
friends, would have laughed outright.

"I am glad that it is no worse," said Mrs. Bentley in a relieved