“But nothing of the sort Monday last? It was just forgetfulness, Tucker?” “Yes, sir,” muttered Toby. “I wish you had a better excuse,” said the Doctor, after a moment, tapping the card against a thumb-nail and studying Toby frowningly. “Your record is so clean otherwise――” He broke off and tossed the card on the desk. “Are you forgetful by nature, my boy?” “No, sir, I――I have a pretty good memory, I guess.” “Then how do you account for your mental lapse in this case?” Toby studied his hands for an instant in silence. Then he glanced up and saw something in the Principal’s face that prompted him to attempt an explanation. “I guess I’d better try to explain, sir,” he said, smiling appealingly. The Doctor nodded. “I think so, too, Tucker. Take your time. What happened, just?” “After breakfast, sir, I went up to Arnold Deering’s room with him to tell him something. It was something that had happened to me that was――pretty nice, and I thought Arn――Deering would be pleased about it.” “Wasn’t he?” prompted the Doctor when Toby paused. “Not so much as I thought he would be. You see, sir, we’re――we’re chums.” The Doctor nodded sympathetically. “Then he said he guessed I was wrong about――about what I’d told him, and then――then we quarreled!” “I see. Was that your fault, Tucker?” “No, sir.” “Quite sure?” Toby thought. “Well, I guess it was partly my fault, sir, but he was awfully unreasonable!” The Doctor smiled broadly. “And you weren’t, eh?” he inquired. “Maybe I was, too,” granted Toby, reflecting the smile dimly. “Well, you quarreled. Then what happened? Did you make up?” “No, sir, he said I was to go out and not come back until I had apologized. And so I did. And then I went upstairs to my room and――and――” Toby faltered. “Kicked the furniture around?” “No, sir.” Toby shook his head. “I just――just sat down, I guess, and then, after awhile, I looked at the clock and it was nearly nine. And so I came over here and asked to see you and Mr. Thompson said I couldn’t and I told him. I――I’m very sorry, sir.”