go to her. Ellen was in such a way when she found you
were off.'

'Then she didn't think I'd taken the eggs?' said Paul.

'She'd as soon think that I had,' said Harold. 'Why, don't we all know
that you're one of the parson's own sort? But what made you go off
without a word to nobody?'

'I don't know. Every one was against me,' said Paul; 'and I thought I'd
just go out of the way, and you'd forget all about me. But I never
touched those eggs, and you may tell Mr. Cope so, and thank him for all
his kindness to me.'

'You'll tell him yourself. You're going home along with me,' cried
Harold. 'There! I'll not stir a step till you've promised! Why, if you
make off now, 'twill be the way to make them think you have something to
run away for, like that rascal.'

'Very well,' said Paul, rather dreamily.

'Then you won't?' said Harold. 'Upon your word and honour?'

Paul said the words after him, not much as if he knew what he was about;
and Harold, rather alarmed at the sound of the Grange clock striking,
gave a cut to the pony, and bounded on, only looking back to see that
Paul was seating himself by the side of the lane. Harold said to himself
that his mother would not have liked to see him do so after such a
ducking, but he knew that he was more tenderly treated than other lads,
and with reason for precaution too; and he promised himself soon to be
bringing Paul home to be dried and warmed.

But he was less speedy than he intended. When he arrived at the school,
he had first to account to the servants for his being so late, and then
he was obliged to wait while the owner of the registered letter was to
sign the green paper, acknowledging its safe delivery.

Instead of having the receipt brought back to him, there came a message
that he was to go up to tell the master and the young gentlemen all about
the robbery.

So the servant led the way, and Harold followed a little shy, but more
curious. The boys were in school, a great bare white-washed room,
looking very cold, with a large arched window at one end, and forms
ranged in squares round the hacked and hewed deal tables. Harold thought
he should tell Alfred that the young gentlemen had not much the advantage
of themselves in their schoolroom.

The boys were mostly smaller than he was, only those of the uppermost
form being of the same size. There might be about forty of them, looking
rather red and purple with the chilly morning, and all their ei