And such proved to be the case. A mischievous page boy had deliberately emptied a bottle of ink in the wash basin with a consequence that had been fatal to Barry's dignity. He did not take it in good part. Indeed, he threatened to thrash the boy who had been guilty of the offense. At this exhibition of temper the boys all filed down stairs after him, and when they were safely away from public view, surrounded the new page and told him to take his place on an elevated platform. He gazed at them defiantly, but fight was out of the question. There were at least ten boys in the crowd, and he realized that at the first move he made they were likely to pounce on him and possibly tear the clothes from his back. So he determined to submit with the best grace possible. "Now," said one tall fellow, who appeared to be the ringleader, "we want you to recite your lesson." "My lesson?" "Yes," said the other, handing him a large volume, "your lesson, and if you don't do it correctly you'll be kept in after school." Barry took the big book obediently. It was an unabridged dictionary. "Now," said the moving spirit, "turn to the letter E." Barry did so. "Please find the word 'egotism.'" Barry obeyed. "Have you got it?" "Yes," said Barry. "Well, read the definition of the word as you find it in that book." Barry did as he was bid, just as a pupil would respond to the commands of his teacher. "Egotism," he read, "is the practice of too frequently using the word 'I'; hence a speaking or writing overmuch of one's self; self-exaltation; self-praise; the act or practice of magnifying one's self or parading one's doings." "Correct," cried the chief of the bad boys. "You're likely to be promoted. You may report for duty to the Sergeant-at-Arms." It is hardly necessary to say that Barry did not relish this ceremony. Mr. Carlton, when he learned of the affair a day or so later, laughed. He wondered if, after all, Barry did not need the punishment. However, whatever the feelings of those most concerned, it had a chastening effect on the new page boy. But it did not entirely deprive him of his feeling of self-importance, and he continued to keep most of his fellow pages at a distance.