“Not only that,” said John; “but the little beggar must needs up and say he would not help to act a falsehood, and you know nobody could stand that.” Caroline understood the gravity of such an offence better than Ellen did, for that good lady had never had much in common with her boys after they outgrew the nursery. She answered, “Armine was quite right.” “So much the worse for him, I fear,” said Caroline. “Yes,” said John, “it would have been all very well to give him a cuff and tell him to mind his own business.” “All very well!” ejaculated his mother. “But you know,” continued Johnny to his aunt, “the seniors are always mad at a junior being like that; and there was another fellow who dragged him to the great school pump, and put him in the trough, and they said they would duck him till he swore to do whatever Rob ordered.” “Swore!” exclaimed his mother. “You don’t mean that, Johnny?” “Yes, I do, mamma,” said John. “I would tell you the words, only you wouldn’t like them. And Armine said it would be breaking the Third Commandment, which was the very way to aggravate them most. So they pumped on his head, and tried if he would say it. ‘No,’ he said. ‘You may kill me like the forty martyrs, but I won’t,’ and of course that set them on to pump the more.” “But, Johnny, did you see it all?” cried Caroline. “How could you?” “I couldn’t help it, Aunt Carey.” “Yes, Aunt Carey,” again broke in Jessie, “he was held down. That horrid--well, I won’t say whom, Johnny--held him, and his arm was so twisted and grazed that he was obliged to come to me to put some lily-leaves on it, and if he would but show it, it is all black and yellow still.” Carey, much moved, went over and kissed both her boy’s champions, while Ellen said, with tears in her eyes, “Oh, Johnny, I’m glad you were at least not so bad. What ended it?” “The school-bell,” said Johnny. “I say, please don’t let Rob know I told, or I shall catch it.” “Your father--” “Mamma! You aren’t going to tell him!” cried Jessie and Johnny, both in horror, interrupting her. “Yes, children, I certainly shall. Do you think such wickedness as that ought to be kept from him? Nearly killing a fatherless child like that, because he was not as bad as they were, and telling falsehoods about it too! I never could have believed it of Rob. Oh! what school does to one’s boys!” She was agitated and overcome to a degree that startled Carey, who began to try to comfort her. “Perhaps Rob did not understand what he was about, and you see he was led on. Armine will soon be all right again, and though he is a dear, good little fellow, maybe the lesson may have been good for him.”