"And yet--I do! And the time approach when you shall know! Sirs, I make to you a p'oposition. Time is passing. It must be soon the State Sup'inten'ent Public Education visit this school. The school is any time ready. Since long time are we waiting. He shall come--he shall examine! The chil'run shall be ignorant this arrangement! Only these shall know--Claude, Sidonie, Crebiche; they will not disclose! And the total chil'run shall exhibit all their previous learning! And welcome the day, when the ad_ver_saries of education shall see those dear chil'run stan' up befo' the assem'led Gran' Point' spelling co'ectly words of one to eight syllable' and _reading from their readers_! And if one miss--if _one_--_one!_ miss, then let the school be shut and the schoolmaster banish-ed!" It was so agreed. The debate did not cease at once, but it languished. Catou thought he had made one strong point when he objected to education as conducive to idle habits; but when the schoolmaster hurled back the fact that communities the world over are industrious just in proportion as they are educated, he was done. He did not know, but when he confronted the assertion it looked so true that he could not doubt it. He only said: "Well, anyhow, I t'ink 'tain't no use Crebiche go school no mo'." But when Bonaventure pleaded for the lad's continuance, that too was agreed upon. The men departed. "Crebiche," said the master, holding the boy's hand at parting, "ah! Crebiche, if thou become not a good scholar"--and read a promise in the boy's swimming eyes. "Claude, Claude, I am at yo' mercy now." But the honest gaze of Claude and the pressure of his small strong hand were a pledge. The grateful master turned to Sidonie, and again, as of old, no Sidonie was there. CHAPTER IX. READY.