nothing to any one of his suspicions; but he never for a moment gave up
the idea that, sooner or later, the truth would come to light. It was
nearly three weeks from the time the affair happened that these two boys
entered the school-room a full half-hour before the usual time for
school to open. No other pupil was present, and they felt free to
indulge in a confidential conversation, which I copy for the benefit of
the reader. "I wonder," began Thomas Pierce, "what Mr. Oswald expects
to gain by waiting. I know his eyes are pretty sharp, but hardly sharp
enough to see to the bottom of this affair. It takes you to plan Reuben.
I was as willing as you to do any thing to bring Harland down a peg or
two, for he has carried his head rather high this winter, and walked
into Mr. Oswald's good graces in a way that was wonderful to behold. You
were always good at planning, and it was you who did the most difficult
part of the business, which was getting the money into his pocket. It
was very easy to get the money out of the desk. The way I hurried
through my dinner that day wasn't slow I can tell you. I ran every step
of the way that I might reach the school-room before the other boys; and
it took but a moment for me to secure the bill, and I am sure no one saw
me slip it into your hand, and you know when the other boys came we were
busy skating, so of course no one could suspect that we knew any thing
about it."

"Ha, ha," laughed Reuben, "Walter thought I was very kind, and even
thanked me with that high-bred manner of his when I spent so much time
helping him to fix on his skates, and when you directed his attention to
a team passing on the street, he little thought that while you were both
admiring the fine horses, I generously slipped a ten-dollar bill into
his vest pocket, for his future wants. Wasn't it fun though. But we'll
see now who'll be invited to tea at Mr. Oswald's so often, and spend
the evenings, studying with Rose and Willie." "But I can tell you one