Was not this a terrible punishment indeed for a boy's misdemeanor? Too terrible, it seemed to him, and he felt a growing bitterness in his heart toward the parents who could plan and carry it out, and thus mar, not only the happiness of their own son, but that of a large circle of boys who were to lose a jolly companion. But at last conscience spoke: "You are wrong. You _know_ that Wilfred has done many things of late that have tried the patience of his father, his mother, and his teachers. You _know_ that they have borne with his increasing unfaithfulness--that they have labored with the boy, hoping and praying for better things. You _know_ they take this course feeling it best for him, and while it is hard for him and for you, it must be borne, realizing it to be the result of the boy's own course. You _know_ all this, now give the case the justice in your own mind that is its due." St. George turned around and frankly put out his hand. "It's right you go," he said quite simply, "we'll all try to get along till vacation, old boy." Wilfred, finding no pity forthcoming, put his hand within the brown palm, waiting for it. "Keep the rest of the chums together," he begged. "I'll do my best." "And remember, we're to go to the same college." "All right." "And chum it there." "All right." "And I wish," Wilfred looked steadily into the blue eyes gazing into his, "I hadn't done it--dallied over those old skates--but minded father." St. George bit his lip, but yet he would _not_ preach. "I'll give you my word it's the last time I'll ever get caught that way." The blue eyes leaped into sudden fire, and Wilfred's hand was wrung hard. "All _right_, old fellow." A GAME OF ENGLISH HISTORY. THEY sat around a small table, half a dozen bright boys and girls. Questions and answers flew back and forth, literally, for were they not printed upon slips of pasteboard which were handed about with exceeding rapidity? Upon listening carefully, it was discoverable that they were playing a game of English history. Mr. Dalton, the father of the boy who was the host of the evening, stood behind his son's chair looking on and smiling at their eagerness. Presently he said, during a pause in the game; "Well, boys, you do well; you certainly have a number of interesting facts and dates fastened in your memories, but it occurs to me to wonder if you know anything more than the mere fact. For instance, take this question which is the first that comes to mind, 'What two remarkable events in the reign of Charles the Second?' and the answer, 'The Great Plague and Fire in London.' Now what more do you know of those events?" Fred Dalton looked up quickly. "I know a little about the Fire, but I do not know about the Plague. I suppose that there was a sort of epidemic raged in London at that time." "And it must have raged extensively or it would not have been called the Great Plague, and have got into history," said Will Ely.