I have not yet spoken of it." He thanks the boy for the book he borrowed, and goes away.

He makes a memorandum of the subject, and the boy does not know that the condition of his desk was noticed; perhaps he does not even know that there was any thing amiss.
A day or two after, at a time regularly appropriated to such subjects, he addresses the boys as follows: "In our efforts to improve the school as much as possible, there is one subject which we must not forget.

I mean the order of the desks." The boys all begin to open their desk lids.
"You may stop a moment," says the teacher.

"I shall give you all an opportunity to examine your desks presently.
"I do not know what the condition of your desks is.

I have not examined them, and have not, in fact, seen the inside of more than one or two.