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“But what becomes of them?” asked Esther.

“They disappear,” said Mr. Baxter, with a significant nod. “When the plums are anything like ripe Mrs. Charley discovers some day that there isn’t one left on the tree. She has never been able to get a scrap of proof as to who took them, or she’d make it hot for them. But nobody in Maitland has any doubt in his own mind that Isaac Cropper knows where those plums go.”

“I don’t think Mr. Cropper would steal,” protested Esther.

“Well, he doesn’t consider it stealing, you know. He claims the land and says the plums are his. I don’t doubt that he is quite clear in his own mind that they are. And he does hate Mrs. Charley. I’d give considerable to see the old sinner fairly caught, but he is too deep.”

“I think Mr. Baxter is too hard on Mr. Cropper,” said Esther to herself later on. “He has probably some private prejudice against him.”

* * * * *

But a month later she had changed her opinion. During that time the Cropper boys had come to school.

At first Esther had been inclined to like them. They were handsome lads, with the same smooth way that characterized their father, and seemed bright and intelligent. For a few days all went well, and Esther felt decidedly relieved.

But before long a subtle spirit of insubordination began to make itself felt in the school. Esther found herself powerless to cope with it. The Croppers never openly defied her, but they did precisely as they pleased. The other pupils thought themselves at liberty to follow this example, and in a month’s time poor Esther had completely lost control of her little kingdom. Some complaints were heard among the ratepayers and even Mr. Baxter looked dubious. She knew that unless she could regain her authority she would be requested to hand in her resignation, but she was baffled by the elusive system of defiance which the Cropper boys had organized.

One day she resolved to go to Mr. Cropper himself and appeal to his sense of justice, if he had any. It had been an especially hard day in school. When she had been absent at the noon hour all the desks in the schoolroom had been piled in a pyramid on the floor, books and slates interchanged, and various other pranks played. When questioned every pupil denied having done or helped to do it. Alfred and Bob Cropper looked her squarely in the eyes and declared their innocence in their usual gentlemanly fashion, yet Esther felt sure that they were the guilty ones. She also knew what exaggerated accounts of the affair would be taken home to Maitland tea tables, and she felt like sitting down to cry. But she did not. Instead she set her mouth firmly, helped the children restore the room to order, and after school went up to Isaac Cropper’s house.

That gentleman himself came in from the harvest field looking as courtly as usual, even in his rough working clothes. He shook hands heartily, told her he was glad to see her, and began talking about the weather. Esther was not to be turned from her object thus, although she felt her courage ebbing away from her as it always did in the presence of the Cropper imperviousness.

“I have come up to see you about Alfred and Robert, Mr. Cropper,” she said. “They are not behaving well in school.”

“Indeed!” Mr. Cropper’s voice expressed bland surprise. “That is strange. As a rule I do not think Alfred and Robert have been troublesome to their teachers. What have they been doing now?”

“They refuse to obey my orders,” said Esther faintly.

“Ah, well, Miss Maxwell, perhaps you will pardon my saying that a teacher should be able to enforce her orders. My boys are high-spirited fellows and need a strong, firm hand to restrain them. I have always said I considered it advisable to employ a male teacher in Maitland school. We should have better order. Not that I disapprove of you personally–far from it. I should be glad to see you succeed. But I have heard many complaints regarding the order in school at present.”