as you do; so I thought as you were head of the school it was best
you should know."

"I wish you hadn't told me," Ripon grumbled. "I am sure I don't
know what's best to do;" and he turned away and began to pace the
yard moodily up and down.

"The only thing I have decided," he said to Ned the next day, "is
to ask Mother Brown myself how much Mather paid her. We may as well
settle that question first."

As this was Wednesday and the cake woman was coming that evening
there was not long to wait. Ripon chose a time when most of the
boys had made their purchases and the old woman was alone.

"Don't you give too much tick to any of the fellows, Mother Brown,"
he began. "You know it isn't always easy to get money that's owing."

"I should think not, Master Ripon; I wish they would always pay
money down as you do. There's Master Mather, he been owing me money
ever since last half. He borrowed ten shillings of me and promised
solemn he would pay at the end of the week, and he has only paid
five shillings yet, a month ago, and that was only 'cause I told
him I would tell the master about him; there's that five shillings,
and seven shillings and eightpence for cakes and things; but I have
been giving him a piece of my mind this afternoon; and if I don't
get that other five shillings by Saturday, sure enough I will speak
to t' maister about it. No one can say as Mother Brown is hard on
boys, and I am always ready to wait reasonable; but I can't abear
lies, and when I lent that ten shillings I expected it was going