CHAPTER IX.
LAURA BENTLEY IS WIDE AWAKE Suspended! That did not mean expulsion, but it did mean that, until the school authorities had taken definite action on the case, young Prescott could not again attend H.S., or any other school under the control of the Board of Education.
The five other partners of Dick & Co.

had faced the school defiantly when taking Dick's books from his desk and strapping them to bring home.
Dan Dalzell thrashed a sophomore for daring to make some allusion to Prescott's "thefts." Tom Reade tried to thrash another sophomore for a very similar offense, but Reade got whipped by a very small margin.

That fact, however, did not discourage Reade.

He had entered his protest, anyway.
Dave Darrin extracted apologies for remarks made, from three different sophomores.

All of the partners were diligent in protecting and defending the reputation of their chief.
Every day the "Co." came to see Dick.