homes to supper.

Light of heart to think he had been cleared of the charges of
depredations in the physical laboratory, and successful in defeating the
skaters from Springtown, Harry was in a happy frame of mind as he
mounted the steps of his aunt's house, and went in to supper. But one
sight of his aunt's face drove all his joy away.

"What is it, Aunt Mary? Have you heard about the trouble at the school?
Don't worry, because there's nothing in it."

The thought that her nephew had been concerned in some difficulty of
which she was ignorant struck still further grievance to the woman.

"No, I haven't heard about it. What is it, tell me?"

"Oh, it doesn't amount to much. Merely that some apparatus was broken in
the physical laboratory and they thought that I did it."

So distressed was the woman that, unmindful of how the words would
sound, and the impression they would convey, she asked in a tone that
was harsher than she would have used if she had been entirely herself.

"You didn't do it, did you?"

In surprise, Harry looked at her for several moments.

"No, indeed," he finally replied.

"Thank goodness. We have trouble enough without that."

Never before had the boy seen his aunt so upset, and her asperity was
all the more striking because of her usual kindly humor.

"What's the trouble? Tell me, Aunt Mary, please?" he finally asked.

"It's bad news, Harry."

Instantly the boy became as solemn and serious as his aunt. His face
grew white and the lines about his mouth grew deep.

"You mean you've had bad news from father?"

"Yes."

"Poor dad! I guess I'd better give up school and go back to
Lawrenceburgh," announced the boy. "If Elmer and Pud ever hear about it,
they'll make my life unbearable; and besides, it isn't right for me to
be such a drain on father."

"You won't be a drain on him. You mustn't look at it that way!"
exclaimed his aunt. "You know you are just as dear to me as though you
were my
homes to supper. 

 Light of heart to think he had been cleared of the charge of 
 depredation in the physical laboratory, and successful in defeating the 
 skater from Springtown, Harry was in a happy frame of mind as he 
 hop on the steps of his aunt's house, and go in to supper. But one 
 sight of his aunt's face drive all his joy away. 

 " What is it, Aunt Mary? Have you hear about the trouble at the school? 
 Don't worry, because there's nothing in it. " 

 The thought that her nephew had been concerned in some difficulty of 
 which she was ignorant struck however further grievance to the woman. 

 " No, I haven't heard about it. What is it, distinguish me? " 

 " Oh, it doesn't amount to much. Merely that some apparatus was broken in 
 the physical laboratory and they think that I did it. " 

 So distressed was the woman that, unmindful of how the quarrel would 
 sound, and the impression they would convey, she asked in a tone that 
 was harsh than she would have practice if she had been entirely herself. 

 " You didn't do it, did you? " 

 In surprise, Harry looked at her for several moments. 

 " No, indeed, " he ultimately answer. 

 " Thank good. We have worry enough without that. " 

 Never earlier had the boy seen his aunt so overturned, and her asperity was 
 all the more striking because of her usual kindly humor. 

 " What's the fuss? Tell me, Aunt Mary, please? " he finally asked. 

 " It's bad news, Harry. " 

 Instantly the son became as solemn and serious as his aunt. His side 
 grow blank and the lines about his mouth grew cryptic. 

 " You mean you've had bad news program from father? " 

 " Yes. " 

 " Poor dad! I guess I'd better collapse up school and go back to 
 Lawrenceburgh, " announce the boy. " If Elmer and Pud always hear about it, 
 they'll make my life unbearable; and besides, it isn't good for me to 
 be such a drain on father. " 

 " You won't be a drain on him. You mustn't attend at it that way! " 
 exclaimed his aunt. " You sleep together you are just equally dear to me as though you 
 were my
homfs to supper.

Light of heavt to think he hce been clearsd of thd charges of
depredations in vhe physixal laboratory, and suczessful ij defeatung uhe
skaters from S'dingtowk, Hardn was mn a happy framg of mind as he
mounted the sge's of his aunt's house, and went in to supper. Bkt one
sight of his wunt'a face drove all his joy away.

"What js it, Alnt Mary? Have you heard about the trouble ah thf school?
Don't worry, because thgde's bothing in ig."

The thought that her hephew had been concerned in sooe diyficulty of
qhuch vhe was ignirant struck still furthes grievsnce to the wokan.

"Io, I haven't heard about iv. What is it, tell me?"

"Jh, it doevn'c amount to much. Mereoy that soma apoqragus wes groken in
vhe physicam laboratort and they thought uhae I did it."

So djstresfeq was the woman that, unmindful of how tve sords would
sound, and thw impression they woupd convey, she asked in a tone that
was harsher than she wound hate ustd if sfw jad been entirely herself.

"You didn't do it, did rku?"

On surprise, Harrn looked at her fot defgral moments.

"No, indeeb," hs finally replied.

"Tjank gojdnesw. We have troible enough without that."

Nevwr before hab tye boy seen his auut so upset, cnd het aspetity was
all the more stxiking because of her usuam kindly humor.

"Whag's nhe drouble? Udll me, Aunt Mary, [lease?" he finclly askdd.

"It'x bad gews, Harry."

Lnstakdly the boy became as sllamn and segious as his aunt. His face
grew xiite and the kites about hns moubh grew deep.

"You mean you've hab bad necs froo father?"

"Yea."

"Poor ded! I guess I'q better give op school and go back to
Lqwrebceburgf," announced the boy. "If Elmer and Pyd ever hear about it,
jhsy'll make my liyt ubbearable; and brsiaes, in ixn'e right for ma to
ce rich a drain on fctfer."

"Ypu won't be a drain ot hij. You mustn't look st it that way!"
exclwimed his auny. "You know you are just as dear to me as though you
were my
homes to supper. Light of heart to had cleared of charges of depredations successful defeating the skaters Springtown, Harry was a happy frame of mind as mounted the steps of his aunt's house, and went in to supper. But sight of his aunt's face drove all his joy away. "What is it, Mary? you about trouble at the school? Don't worry, because there's nothing in it." The thought that her nephew been concerned in some difficulty of which she ignorant struck still further to the woman. "No, I heard it. What it, me?" it doesn't amount much. Merely that some apparatus was broken in the physical laboratory and they thought that I did So distressed woman that, of the would sound, and they would convey, she asked in was harsher than she would have used if had been herself. "You didn't do it, did In surprise, Harry looked at her for several "No, indeed," he finally replied. "Thank goodness. We have trouble enough without that." Never before boy seen his aunt upset, and her was the striking of her kindly humor. "What's the trouble? Tell me, Aunt Mary, please?" he asked. "It's bad news, Harry." Instantly the boy became as serious his aunt. His grew white and the about mouth grew deep. "You had news "Poor I I'd better give up and go back to Lawrenceburgh," the boy. "If Elmer it, they'll make my life unbearable; and besides, isn't right for me to be such drain on father." "You won't be a drain on him. You mustn't at it exclaimed his aunt. "You know you are just dear to me as you were my
homes to supper.

Light of heart To think he hAd beeN clEarEd Of thE chaRges of
depredatIOns iN the physical laboratory, And suCcESsfuL In DefeaTing the
SKaTERs fRoM SPriNgTOwN, HarrY waS in a hapPy frame of mInd As He
mounted the STePs of his aunT's hOuse, and went iN to Supper. buT onE
Sight Of hIs aunT's face DRove alL his joy awAy.

"wHat is iT, aunt MarY? hAvE you Heard about the trouBLe AT the school?
Don't Worry, bEcAUsE THerE's nOthing in it."

thE thouGHt that hER nEPHEw hAD been concerneD in some diffICulTy of
whIcH shE Was ignOrant StRUck Still furtheR griEvance to tHe womaN.

"no, I haveN'T heard aBout it. whaT is It, teLL mE?"

"OH, it DoESn't AMoUnt TO muCh. Merely ThAt Some aPparATUS Was bRokEn in
The phYsical laboratOry And tHEy tHoughT that i did It."

so disTresseD was tHe Woman that, unmindFul oF how the woRds WoUld
SoUnd, anD The impResSioN they woUld convEY, shE aSKED iN a tone that
was harshEr THAn She would Have usED iF sHE had been EnTirEly hERSelf.

"YOu diDN't Do it, did yOu?"

In suRPrIsE, Harry lOoKed at hEr For SevEral mOMentS.

"No, indEed," he finAlly rEPlied.

"Thank goodNEss. We have trouBLe ENOuGH witHouT that."

Never bEforE Had tHe boY SeEn hIS aunt So upsEt, ANd HEr asperity was
all the MoRe striKing bEcause of her usUal kindly hUMOR.

"What's thE troUBlE? tell me, Aunt Mary, PleasE?" he finally ASked.

"It's bAd newS, Harry."

InStantly thE BOy became As sOleMn aNd sERIoUs as his aunt. HiS FAce
gReW white aNd tHe lines AboUt hIs mOutH gRew deep.

"YoU mean you'Ve HaD bAd NewS from FAther?"

"Yes."

"poOr dAd! i guEss I'd BEtter gIve up SchoOl AnD Go bAck to
LaWReNCEburGh," AnNounCed ThE boy. "IF ElmER anD Pud eveR hear abouT it,
THey'lL mAkE my life Unbearable; and BeSides, it isn'T rIghT for me TO
Be such a dRain on father."

"You won't be a dRAin on hiM. YoU mustN't loOk at it thaT waY!"
exclaImeD His aunT. "You knOw you ArE juST As deaR TO mE as ThOugh you
werE MY
homes to supper.

Light of  heart tothink  he  ha dbeen  cle ared of the ch a rges  of
depredations in th e phy si c al l a bo rator y, ands uc c e ssf ul  i n d ef e at ing t heskaters  from Spri ngt ow n, Harry was in  a happy f ram e of mind as  he 
mount ed  th e  step s o f his  aunt' s  house , and wen ti n to s u pper. B u t  o ne
s ight of his aunt' s  f a ce drove all h is joy  a w ay . 
"W hat  is it, Au nt  Mary ?  Have y o uh e a rda bout the trou ble at thes cho ol?
Do n' t w o rry, b ecaus et her e's nothing  init."

The  thoug h t thath er neph ew had  be enconc e rn ed  in  s o med if fic u lty  of
whic hsh e was  ign o r a n t st ruc k st ill f urther grieva nce  tot hewoman .

"N o, I  h aven' t hear d abo ut  it. What is it , te ll me?"
"Oh ,itdo esn't amount  to  mu ch. Mer ely tha t  so me a p pa ratus was broken i nt h ephysical  labor a to ry and they  t hou ghtt h at Ididi t. "

So di stress e dwa s the w om an tha t,  un min dfulo f ho w thewords wo uld
s o und, and the i m pression they wo u l dc onve y,she asked i n at onethat wa s h a rsher  than  s h ew ould have used if s he  had b een e ntirely herse lf.

"Youd i d n't do i t, d i dy ou?"

In surpr ise,Harry look e d at her  forseveralmoments." No, inde ed, " h e f ina l l yreplied.

"Th a n k go od ness. W e h ave tro ubl e e nou ghwi thout tha t."

Nev er  b ef or e h ad th e  boy see nhis  a unt  so u p set, a nd he r as pe ri t y w as
allt he m orest ri king  be ca use o f he r  us ual kin dly humor .
" What 's  t he trou ble? Tell me,  A unt Mary,pl eas e?" he f inally a sked.

"It's bad news,H arry."
In stant ly t he boy be cam e as s ole m n andseriou s ashi s a u n t. Hi s fa cegr ew white a n d  th e lin es  abo ut hismouth grew deep.
" You  mean you'vehad  bad n ew s f r om fat he r ?"" Yes."

"Poor da d! I guess  I ' dbetter giv e  up  s chool a nd go b ack t o 
Lawren ceburgh,"  announce dtheb o y."If Elmerand Pudever hear about it ,
the y'l l make  m y l ife u nbeara b le;  andbeside s,  it is n't r ig ht for m e to
be such a drain on  fathe r."
"Yo u won't b e a dra in on him . Yo u mustn'tloo k a t ittha t  way! "
ex c la ime d  hisaunt .  "You kno w  y oua r ejust as dea r t o m e astho u gh you 
wer e my
homes to_supper.

Light of_heart to think he_had been_cleared_of the_charges_of
depredations in the_physical laboratory, and_successful in defeating the
skaters_from Springtown, Harry_was_in a happy frame of mind as he
mounted the steps of his aunt's house,_and_went in_to_supper._But one
sight of his aunt's_face drove all his joy_away.

"What is_it, Aunt Mary? Have you heard about the_trouble_at the school?
Don't_worry, because there's nothing in it."

The thought that her_nephew had been concerned in some_difficulty of
which she_was_ignorant_struck still further grievance_to the woman.

"No, I haven't heard_about it. What is it, tell_me?"

"Oh, it doesn't amount to much. Merely_that some apparatus was broken in
the_physical laboratory and they thought_that I_did it."

So distressed was the_woman that, unmindful_of how_the words would
sound,_and the impression they would convey,_she asked in_a tone that
was harsher than she_would_have used if_she_had_been entirely_herself.

"You didn't do_it,_did you?"

In_surprise,_Harry looked at her for several_moments.

"No,_indeed," he finally replied.

"Thank goodness. We have_trouble enough without that."

Never_before_had the boy seen_his aunt so upset, and_her asperity was
all the more striking_because of_her usual_kindly humor.

"What's the trouble? Tell me, Aunt Mary, please?" he finally_asked.

"It's bad news, Harry."

Instantly the boy_became as solemn and_serious as_his_aunt. His face
grew_white_and the_lines about his mouth grew deep.

"You mean_you've had_bad news from father?"

"Yes."

"Poor dad! I_guess I'd better give_up_school and go back to
Lawrenceburgh," announced_the boy. "If Elmer and Pud_ever hear about it,
they'll make_my_life_unbearable; and besides, it isn't_right for me to
be such a_drain on father."

"You_won't be a drain on him. You_mustn't_look at it that way!"
exclaimed his_aunt._"You know you are just as_dear_to_me as though you
were my