The teachers had forbidden me to throw paper wads, or spitballs.

I thought I could go through the motion of throwing a spitball without letting it go.

But it slipped and I threw the wad right in the teacher's eye.

I told him it was an accident, that I had merely tried to play smart and had overreached myself.
"Being smart is a worse fault," he said, "than throwing spitballs.
I forgive you for throwing the spitball, but I shall whip the smart Aleckness out of you." He gave me a good strapping, and I went home in rebellion.

I told my father.