"What prevented your succeeding, then?"

"Frank came out to get some herbs to make tea for the hired man,
and so caught me."

"You didn't tell him who put you up to it?" said John
apprehensively.

"No," said Dick coolly; "I don't do such things."

"That's good," said John, relieved. "Was he mad?"

"No, he didn't make any fuss. He asked what made me do it, and I
told him somebody else put it into my head."

"You did! I thought you said you didn't."

"I didn't tell who that somebody was, but Frank said he could
guess."

"He can't prove it," said John hastily.

"I don't think he'll try," said Dick. "The fact is, John, Frank's
a good fellow, and if you want to get anybody to do him any
mischief hereafter, you'd better not apply to me."

"I don't know as he's any better than other boys," said John,
sneering. He did not enjoy hearing Frank's praises.

"He's better than either of us, I'm sure of that," said Dick