and fancied that their authority extended to the appointment of so subordinate a person as the janitor.
“It doesn’t make any difference,” he declared, recovering himself. “The doctor will have to dismiss you, whether he wants to or not.”
“You speak very positively,” rejoined Andy, with a contemptuous smile, which Herbert resented.
“You’ll find it’s no laughing matter,” said Herbert, hotly. “For a poor boy, you put on altogether too many airs.”
Andy’s manner changed.
“Herbert Ross,” he said, “I’ve listened to your talk because it amused me, but I’ve heard enough of it. The only boy in school who puts on airs is yourself, and I, for one, don’t mean to stand your impudence. Your father may be a very important person, but you are not. All your talk about Dr. Euclid’s losing his place is ridiculous. You can go and talk to the doctor on the subject if you think it best.”
Here Andy turned on his heel, and called out to Frank Cooper:
“Have a catch, Frank?”
“Yes, Andy.”
The two boys began to throw a ball to each other, by way of improving their practice, for both belonged to a baseball club, and Andy’s special and favorite position was that of catcher.
“You seem to have considerable business with Herbert Ross,” said Frank. “I thought we should have no time for practice.”
Andy smiled.
“Herbert thinks he has business with me,” he said.
“I shouldn’t think it was very pleasant business, by the way he looks,” said Frank.
Andy smiled, but said nothing.
None of the boys had been present when the little difficulty of the morning took place, and he thought it not worth mentioning.
When Herbert left school at the close of the afternoon session, he was fully resolved to make it hot for the young janitor, and for Dr. Euclid, whose censure he had again incurred for a faulty Greek recitation.
CHAPTER III.
DR. EUCLID RECEIVES A CALL
Dr. Euclid lived in a comfortable dwelling-house not far from the Presbyterian Church. His family was small, consisting only of his wife and himself. Having no children, he devoted himself solely to the interests of the academy, of which he had been the principal for a space of fifteen years.
The doctor was an unusually learned man for the preceptor of an academy. He by no means confined his attention to the studies pursued in the institution, but devoted his leisure hours to reading classic authors, such as are read in our best colleges. He had published a carefully annotated edition of Greek tragedy, which had gained him a great deal of credit in the eyes of scholars. Indeed, he had received, only a short time previous, an invitation to the chair of Latin and Greek in a well-known college, and had been strongly tempted to accept, but had finally declined it, not being willing to leave the Hamilton Academy, to which he had become much attached, and his friends and neighbors in the village, by whom he was held in high esteem.
Dr. Euclid was seated in his library, examining a new classical book which had been sent him by the publishers, when the maid-servant opened the door, and said:
“Please, Dr. Euclid, there’s a gentleman wants to see you.”
“Do you know who it is, Mary?” asked the doctor, laying aside his book, with a look of regret.
“I think it’s the lyyer man, sir.”
“Oh, you mean the lawyer,” said Dr. Euclid, smiling.
“That’s what I said, sir.”
“Well, show him up.”
Almost immediately Brandon Ross, Esq., rather a pompous-looking individual, who tried to make himself look taller by brushing up his reddish hair till it stood up like a hedge above his forehead, entered the room.
“Good-evening, Mr. Ross!” said Dr. Euclid, politely.
He wondered why the lawyer had favored him with a call. It did not occur to him that it had any connection with the little difficulty of the morning between Herbert Ross and his young janitor.
“Ahem! Doctor, I am very well,” said the lawyer.
“Take a seat, if you please.”
“Thank you, sir. I can’t stay long. I am occupied with some very important legal business just now.”
Mr. Ross said this with an air of satisfaction. He always represented that he was occupied with important business.
“Then he won’t stay long,” thought the doctor. “Well, I am glad of that, for I want to get back to my book.”
“You probably expected I would call,” Squire Ross began.
“No; I can’t say I did,” answered the doctor, regarding his visitor with surprise.
“Surely, sir, after that outrageous assault upon my son this morning, an assault, sir, committed almost in your very presence, you could hardly suppose I, as Herbert’s father, would remain calmly at home and ignore the affair?”
Mr. Ross said this in the tone in which he usually addressed juries, and he looked to see it produce an effect upon Dr. Euclid. But he was disappointed. An amused smile played over the face of the dignified scholar, as he answered:
“I certainly didn’t connect your visit with the little matter you refer to.”
“Little matter!” repeated the lawyer, indignantly. “Do I understand, Dr. Euclid, that you speak of a ruffianly assault upon my son Herbert as a little matter?”
Dr. Euclid wanted to laugh. He had a vivid sense of the ridiculous, and the lawyer’s way of speaking seemed so disproportioned to the boyish quarrel to which he referred, that it seemed to him rather ludicrous.
“I was not aware, Mr. Ross, that such an assault had been made upon your son,” he replied.
“Surely you know, Dr. Euclid,” said the lawyer, warmly, “that your janitor, Andrew Gordon, had assaulted Herbert?”
“I knew the boys had had a little difficulty,” returned the doctor, quietly. “Your son struck Andrew with a broom. Did he tell you that?”
Mr. Ross was surprised, for Herbert had not told him that.
“It was a proper return for the violent attack which the boy made upon him. I am glad that my son showed proper resentment.”
“I beg your pardon, Mr. Ross, but your son’s attack preceded Andrew’s. It was Andrew who acted in self-defense, or, if you choose to call it so, in retaliation.”
“I presume your account comes from your janitor,” said the lawyer, a little disconcerted.
“On the contrary, it comes from your son. Herbert admitted to me this morning what I have just stated to you.”
“But,”
