"Tut, tut!"

And all-of-a-sudden Fatty let go of his coat, and Jehosophat found
himself on his feet and on his way to the platform.

He wanted to take a little of the glass of water that stood by the
Presidentboardeducation--just one little sip--for his throat felt so
dry and his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth. But he couldn't.

He made the fine bow all right, and Mother looked at Father as much as
to say,--

[Illustration: "But then Jehosophat just had to look at Fatty, and
Fatty had just put a peanut up to his mouth--as a sort of a signal, I
guess--"]

"There, I knew our boy could do it."

And wonderfully he got through the first line,--"The boy stood on the
burning deck."

But then he just had to look at Fatty, and Fatty had just put a peanut
up to his mouth--as a sort of signal, I guess.

"The boy stood on the burning deck," repeated Jehosophat, forgetting
the next line, and so having to stick to the first. He couldn't think
of anything but Fatty's grinning mouth and that peanut.

"The boy stood on the burning deck," he called, louder than before.