"Sixty dollars!" exclaimed Captain Gildrock, when he had looked over the roll of bills handed him by Bent Fillwing. "Why do you give this money to me?"

"Doesn't it belong to you, sir?" asked Bent, who had put on the meekest expression he could find among his resources.

"I am not aware that it does. I have not lost any money," added the principal.

"Has any one about the school lost any, sir?" inquired Bent, who began to think he had proceeded too rapidly.

"I have not heard of any one who has lost any money. Perhaps you had better explain where you got it, as you seem to be anxious to get rid of it," suggested the captain.

"We went on a little lark in the Lily, but some of us concluded to bring her back," replied Bent, fixing his gaze upon the ground, which is the proper thing for a penitent to do.

"Where is Tom Topover, who went with you?" asked the principal, as he looked at the three excursionists who had presented themselves before him. "Where are Splugger and Dumper?"

"We left them asleep on board of the Lily," replied Bent, with a smile, as he watched the expression of the principal. "As they don't show themselves, I suppose they are still asleep."

Bent Fillwing chuckled when he thought of the trick he had played on Tom Topover. He had expected a fight with him, and he had even been ready for that; for he did not believe so much in the pugilistic prowess of the bully as most of the students, and he was at home in that sort of business. He thought he knew how to manage the principal: and he was acting all the time, as much as though he had been the leading card in a show.

The story of Ash Burton and Sam Spottwood, who had escaped the consequences of the stealing of the Goldwing, was well known; and the principal seemed to have a weakness in the direction of penitents, if he had one in any direction. It was evident that he knew all about the scrape as far as it could be ascertained at Beech Hill, for he had mentioned all the names of the party not before him.

"You seem to be amused at something, Fillwing," continued Captain Gildrock, smiling himself.

"We have concluded to tell the whole truth, and keep nothing back, not even the money," said Bent; though he had a sort of suspicion that he had been a little premature in disposing so suddenly of the sixty dollars.

"That is a wise plan. It seems that you have voluntarily returned, in spite of Tom Topover, Splugger, and Dumper," replied the principal encouragingly.

"Yes, sir, we were sure we should be captured; and, while Tom was asleep, we brought him back to Beech Hill, and we are very sorry we took any part in the enterprise," added Bent, acting his part very well; though the principal understood him as well as though he had said he was playing the penitent.

"Perhaps it is fortunate for you that he was asleep, if you decided to retrace your steps."

"I think we should have come back all the same if he had been awake, though it might have cost us a fight in that case; and we had agreed to take things as they came," replied Bent, with a modest display of virtue.

"That is, you had resolved to fight for the privilege of doing your duty," added Captain Gildrock. "Don't be over modest about it. Duty presented herself before you; and, though peril and suffering lay between you and her, you were determined to follow her at all hazards."

This raillery took all the starch out of Bent Fillwing. The principal saw through his parade of confession, and took no stock in his penitence.

"I said we came back because we were sure we should be caught, though we all agreed that the scrape was a bad egg," replied Bent, switching off to a new track.

"What was the scrape?" asked the captain, looking from one to another of the delinquents.

"That is more than we know. Tom Topover sailed under sealed orders; and he would not tell us what we were going to do, or where we were going. He promised us that we should go to the theatre, and live at the hotels; and he did not mean to come back to Beech Hill. We couldn't get any thing out of him in regard to his plan. He said he would pay the bills, but he would not tell us any thing," Bent explained.

"And you went with him on these terms?"

"I was willing enough to go, until he put on as many airs as though he had been the principal of the Beech-Hill Industrial School. He was always under sealed orders, and gave off his commands as though he expected them to be obeyed, and no questions asked."

"That is the proper way to obey orders," added the principal, with a smile.

"Kidd and Pell did not want to go, but Tom blackguarded them into joining; and they were ready enough to come back as soon as the way was open. I don't know but they would have had a fight in order to follow that lady you spoke of," continued Bent, who was himself now.

"What lady? I have spoken of no lady."

"Duty—Miss Duty; but she was not as good-looking as Miss Lily Bristol. In our case she seemed to be pointing to the door of the brig."

The principal thought he might get the truth out of Kidd Digfield and Pell Sankland, who had not yet spoken a word. He questioned them; and they told him without any attempt at concealment or palliation, and with no mock humility, all that had occurred since they went to their rooms the night before. They were genuine penitents, and there was no fraud about them.

"You were weak to allow the blackguard talk of a fellow like Tom Topover to turn you aside, but you will know better next time," added Captain Gildrock very mildly. "Do you know any thing about this money?"

"Nothing at all, sir: I did not know Tom had it, except from what he said," replied Kidd.

"You don't know where he got it?"

Not one of them had the remotest idea.

"I came to the conclusion that he had robbed some teacher's room, or had been exploring your strong-box, sir," interposed Bent. "At any rate, I was sure that he had not come honestly by it; and, when I saw it sticking out of his pocket, I took possession of it, for it was the sinews of war."

"And, when you got it, you decided to return?" asked the principal, with a smile.

Bent winced under the glance bestowed upon him; for he realized that the principal understood him, and that any more humility or pretence of duty would do him no good.

"I did not decide to return because I had got the money, but because Tom had deserted his post, and instead of being up at Plattsburgh, or some point miles nearer the foot of the lake, we were not four miles from the mouth of Beaver River."

"That sounds quite reasonable. Tom had spoiled the enterprise he had undertaken to manage," added the captain.

"That was exactly it. He was sleepy, and then he anchored the schooner and turned in. I knew we couldn't get away after he had lost three or four hours. There was no chance for us, and I gave it up as soon as I had looked over the ground. The moment I said a word, Kidd and Pell were eager to come back."

"You may come over to the boat-house with me," continued the principal, leading the way.

The boat-house was open, and they found all the students assembled there. The smoke was pouring out of the smoke-stack of the Sylph, and the runaways concluded that they were getting her ready to go in search of the Lily. No one seemed to be stirring yet on board of the schooner; and it was evident that Tom Topover and his two companions had not yet finished their nap. It was only seven o'clock, and they had not turned in till one; so that they had not yet made up the eight hours of sleep to which they were accustomed.

Dory Dornwood and Paul Bristol were called by Captain Gildrock, and directed to go out to the Lily, buoy the cable without waiting to get up the anchor, and to bring her to the wharf without waking those in the cabin.

Dory laughed heartily when he had learned enough of the absence of the schooner to comprehend the situation; and he and Paul executed the order with which they were charged, to the letter. The Lily was brought alongside of the wharf, and made fast. The sleepers in the cabin were entering on their seventh hour of slumber, and the movements of the boat had not disturbed them.

"Now, boys, form a line," said the principal. "Keep step; and, when I give the word, I want you to put your feet down in earnest."

The students formed the line; and, when Bent and his two associates held back, they were required to take their places in the line. The boys had been trained a little in a few military movements for marching purposes, and they knew how to place themselves. Dory was directed to lead them to the deck of the Lily; and the students were required to step lightly, until the word was given for a change.

The students filed upon the deck of the schooner, in good order, and without making any noise. When the last one was on the deck, and Dory had marched the head of the column around the standing-room, Captain Gildrock gave the word, "Attention! march!" The file was closed up, so that the students stood touching each other. All as one, they began to put their feet down on the planks in a very heavy step. All hands were intensely amused, for they had been told the situation of things on board, and were laughing as though they enjoyed the affair in which they were engaged. Tom and his fellow-rebels would have no reason to suppose they were not at anchor off Cannon's Point.

The tramp of their feet could be heard half a mile from the wharf, for Mrs. Bristol and Lily soon came to the scene to ascertain what the matter was. The boys kept up the step with all the vigor of those interested in the business. The cabin-doors were closed; but, if the runaways were still alive, they could not help waking, with such a tremendous noise over their heads.

"On deck there! what are you doing?" shouted Tom Topover, at the top of his lungs. "What's all that noise for?"

The principal, who still stood on the wharf, where he could overlook the operations, raised his hand; and all the students became as statues at once. Silence reigned supreme. In a low tone, he told Dory to be ready to give three cheers; and the word was passed along the line.

"Why don't you answer me, Bent Fillwing?" shouted Tom again, when no attention was paid to his first call.

The silence was not broken, and Tom was evidently getting mad. A moment later he pushed open the cabin-doors, and tumbled out into the standing-room.

"Three cheers!" exclaimed Dory, prompted by his uncle.

The cheers were lustily given, and Tom opened his eyes very wide.