noon
And the scarlet boy passed forward between rows of mystified but immoderately uplifted children . Miss Spence herself grew rather pink as she examined the missive , and the intensity with which she afterward extended her examination to cover the complete field of Penrod Schofield caused him to find a remote centre of interest whereon to rest his embarrassed gaze . She let him stand before her throughout a silence , equalled , perhaps , by the tenser pauses during trials for murder , and then , containing herself , she sweepingly gestured him to the pillory -- a chair upon the platform , facing the school . Here he suffered for the unusual term of an hour , with many jocular and cunning eyes constantly upon him ; and , when he was released at noon , horrid shouts and shrieks pursued him every step of his homeward way . For his laughter-loving little schoolmates spared him not -- neither boy nor girl . `` Yay , Penrod ! '' they shouted .