But it was very hard for the social, affectionate fellow to bear the general distrust, for he had been such a favorite he felt the change keenly.
But the thing that tried him most was the knowledge that his report would not be what it usually was.

It was always a happy moment when he showed it to his mother, and saw her eye brighten as it fell on the 99 or 100, for she cared more for good behavior than for perfect lessons.
Mr.Acton once said that Frank Minot's moral influence in the school was unusual, and Jack never forgot her pride and delight as she told them what Frank himself had not known till then.

It was Jack's ambition to have the same said of him, for he was not much of a scholar, and he had tried hard since he went back to school to get good records in that respect at least.

Now here was a dreadful downfall, tardy marks, bad company, broken rules, and something too wrong to tell, apparently.
"Well, I deserve a good report, and that's a comfort, though nobody believes it," he said to himself, trying to keep up his spirits, as the slow week went by, and no word from him had cleared up the mystery..