, and try to recover this damaging piece
of evidence before it fell into the hands of the enemy. Jumping out of
bed next morning at the first sound of the bell, and dressing as
hastily as possible, I rushed down into the yard, where, in spite of
the cold and darkness, I carefully examined the roof of the outhouses,
and the spot by the water-butt where we had climbed up and down. Hunt
as I would, however, I was doomed to disappointment--the missing cap
was nowhere to be seen; and at length the unwelcome truth was forced
upon my mind that it must have fallen off during our flight across the
fields, most likely have been dragged from my head as I plunged madly
through a hedge.

Standing there shivering in the raw winter morning, I quickly came to
the conclusion that I had now no choice but to pursue one course of
action. The free time after breakfast was too short to allow of my
doing anything till after morning school ended at twelve o'clock; then,
even if it meant accepting the risk of being seen, I must run over the
ground we had covered the night before, and attempt to find the cap.
It was quite possible that neither the farmer nor his men might cross
these particular fields before midday, and so, with good luck, this
unfortunate proof of my guilt might be kept from falling into their
hands.

How vividly the events of that unfortunate morning are impressed upon
my mind! We had no separate classroom in those days; the one big
school held all the forms in work hours, each division being marshalled
round the desk of its particular master. The class which contained
Miles Coverthorne, myself, and about a dozen other boys, was taken by a
master named Jennings. We were seated at our desks preparing some work
before standing round to be questioned. Exactly what the subject was I
don't remember--probably the Latin grammar, to the study of which the
greater portion of our time seems to have been devoted. Directly in
front of me sat a youth who, from the possession of a peculiarly
squeaky voice, was known as the "Jackdaw," a nickname which suited him
in more ways than one, for he was as mischievous as the famous bird
whom the legend declares to have stolen the cardinal's ring.

My eyes happening to wander from my book, I became aware of the fact
that the "Jackdaw" was endeavouring to attract my attention. In the
hand which he held out towards me was a queer-shaped object, which he
evidently wished me to examine. I to