sed to allow me access
to their compartment, caused him to slip through my fingers."

Mr. Bultitude observed, rather ungratefully, that, if this was so, it
was a most improper thing for them to do.

"It was, indeed, but it is of no consequence fortunately. I was forced
to wait for the next train, but that was not a very slow one, and so I
was able to come on here before a very late hour and acquaint you with
what had taken place."

"Thank you very much," said Paul.

"It's a painful thing to occur in a school," observed the Doctor after a
pause.

"Most unfortunate," agreed Paul, coughing.

"So apt to lead persons who are not acquainted with the facts to imagine
that the boy was unhappy under my care," continued the Doctor.

"In this case, I assure you, I have no doubts," protested Paul with
politeness and (seldom a possible combination) perfect truth.

"Very kind of you to say so; really, it's a great mystery to me. I
certainly, as I felt it my duty to inform you at the time, came very
near inflicting corporal punishment upon him this morning--very near.
But then he was pardoned on your intercession; and, besides, the boy
would never have run away for fear of a flogging."

"Oh, no, perfectly absurd!" agreed Paul again.

"Such a merry, high-spirited lad, too," said the Doctor, sincerely
enough; "popular with his schoolfellows; a favourite (in spite of his
faults) with his teachers."

"No, was he though?" said Paul with more surprise, for he had not been
fortunate enough to reap much vicarious benefit from his son's
popularity, as he could not help remembering.

"All this, added to the comforts (or, may I say, the luxuries?) he
enjoyed under my supervision, does make it seem very strange and
ungrateful in the boy to take this sudden and ill-considered step."

"Very, indeed; but do you know, Dr. Grimstone, I can't help
thinking--and pray do not misunderstand me if I speak plainly--that,
perhaps, he had reasons for being unhappy you can have no idea of?"

"He would have found me ready to hear any complaints and prompt to
redress them, sir," said the Doctor. "But, now I think of it, he
certainly did appear to have something on his mind which he wished to
tell me; but his manner was so strange and he so persistently refused to
come to the point, that I was forced to discourage him at last."

"You did discourage him, indeed!" said Paul inwardly, thinking of those
attempted confidences with a shudder. "Perhaps