He paced the room restlessly for a long time, and finally went over and stood looking out of the window.
"Young man," he said to himself severely, "you've got to brace, and brace hard.

If you haven't any nerve, then getting square is too strenuous a game for you?
Now, what can that gang prove?
They can suspect, and they can charge, but my denial is fully as good as any other man's affirmation.

Go before the Board of Education?
Of course I will.

And I'll make any accuser of mine look mighty small before that august board of local duffers!" Brave words! They cheered the young miscreant, anyway.

Phin ate his supper with something like relish.