1.Bertie and Johnny Lee were two little boys who lived in America.They were very glad when their cousin,Alick Grant,came from Scotland to live with them.He was a very bright boy and full of fun,and he could tell them many curious things about his home in Scotland,and about his voyage across the ocean.
2.He was as far on in his studies as his cousins were,and the first day he went to school with them they saw that he was very clever.He wasted no time in play when he should have been studying,and he got through his work very quickly.
3.Before closing school in the afternoon,the teacher began to call the roll.Each boy answered "ten"when his name was called.This was the number of his good-conduct marks for the day.When A lick understood that he was to say "ten"if he had not whispered during the day,he replied,"I have whispered."
4."More than once?"asked the teacher."Yes,sir,"answered A lick.
"As many as ten times?"
"Maybe I have."
"Then I can give you no good marks,"said the teacher,"and that is a great disgrace."
5."Why,I did not hear you speak a single word,"said Johnny that night after school.
"Perhaps you did not,"said A lick,"but I did it several times.I saw others doing it,so I asked the boy next me for a book,and then I lent him a slate-pencil.Afterwards I asked another boy for the loan of a knife and a piece of india-rubber.I thought it was allowed."
6."Oh,we all do that sort of thing,"said Bertie.
"There isn't any sense in the old rule.Nobody could keep it.Nobody tries to."
"I will either keep it or own that I haven't,"said A lick."Do you suppose I will try to get good marks by cheating?"
7."Oh,we don't call it cheating,"said Johnny."There wouldn't be a good mark for one of us if we were so strict."
"What does that matter,if you tell the truth?"asked A lick gravely .
8.Alick studied hard during working hours,and played with all his might at playtime.But according to his own account,he lost more good marks than any of the rest.By-and-by,however,the other boys began to notice many of Alick's ways.
9.After he came the boys began to answer "nine"and "eight"oftener than they used to do,and yet the school-room seemed to be less noisy than it had been before.Sometimes,when Alick's marks were lower than usual,the teacher would give a peculiar smile,but he said no more of disgrace.
10.Alick never preached to the other boys,or told tales;but seeing that this quiet,blue-eyed boy must tell the truth made them feel like cheats and story tellers.They all liked him,and called him "Scotch Granite,"for he was so firm in keeping his word.
11.At the end of the term Alick's name was very low down on the list.When it was read out,he had hard work not to cry,for he had tried to behave as well as he could.
12.The very last thing that day was a little speech by the teacher.He said that he once met a man wearing a plain cloak,whom he was about to pass by without a look,when some one told him that the man in the cloak was a very famous general and a great hero.
13."He made no display of the signs of his rank ,but the hero was there just the same,"said the teacher."And now,boys,you will see what I mean when I tell you that I am going to give a gold medal to the one among you who has been most faithful and truthful.Who do you say should have it?