Cressy McKinstry, who was sixteen years old, had been one of the pupils he had found at the school when he first came.

But as he had also found that she was there in the extraordinary attitude of being "engaged" to one Seth Davis, a fellow-pupil of nineteen, and as most of the courtship was carried on freely and unceremoniously during school-hours with the full permission of the master's predecessor, the master had been obliged to point out to the parents of the devoted couple the embarrassing effects of this association on the discipline of the school.

The result had been the withdrawal of the lovers, and possibly the good-will of the parents.

The return of the young lady was consequently a matter of some significance.
Had the master's protest been accepted, or had the engagement itself been broken off?
Either was not improbable.

His momentary loss of attention was Johnny Filgee's great gain.
"Tige," said Johnny, with sudden and alarming distinctness, "ith got thix pupths--mothly yaller." In the laugh which followed this long withheld announcement of an increase in the family of Johnny's yellow and disreputable setter "Tiger," who usually accompanied him to school and howled outside, the master joined with marked distinctness.