entlemen remained. I believe, in fact, that--although I do
not know them--they have come to see you on this same business that I
have."

"Perhaps, Railsford--" began the doctor, when his visitor broke in,
"Railsford! Is this Railsford? Why, to be sure, now I look at you.
How ungrateful you must have thought me! but you slipped away so
suddenly that day when Mrs Branscombe and I arrived, that in our
excitement and anxiety we scarcely had time to look at you; much less to
thank you. Indeed, it was only lately my son told me how devotedly you
had tended him; and it breaks his heart now to think that you, of all
persons, have suffered almost more than anybody by what he did. Surely,
sir, Mr Bickers showed _you_ his letter?"

"No, I have not seen or heard of it," said Railsford. "But I know what
you say your son has now confessed; and have known it since the time of
his illness. Dr Ponsford, I am at liberty now to explain myself; may I
do so?"

"Certainly," said the doctor sternly.

Railsford thereupon gave an account of the boy's sudden illness, and of
the accidental manner in which he had learned, from the boy's delirious
talk, of his own guilt and the guilt of his confederates.

"I could not but regard a secret so acquired as sacred," said he; "and
even though by keeping it I was actually shielding criminals, I should
have been a greater traitor to betray them than to shield them."

"May I say, sir," put in Ainger at this point, "that the prefects in our
house last night received a confession from Munger, which corresponds
exactly with what Mr Branscombe says?"

"Except that I did not mention the names of the other two culprits,"
said Mr Branscombe. "My son did not even name them to me."

"Munger was not so particular. He says Clipstone suggested the affair,
and assisted Branscombe to carry it out; while he himself held the light
and helped drag Mr Bickers into the boot-box. That was what I had come
to report to you now, sir," added he to the head-master.

Dr Ponsford looked half stunned with this cascade of revelations and
explanations. Then he went up to Railsford and took his hand.

"I am thankful indeed that all this has happened now--in time. A few
hours more, and it would have come too late to prevent a great injustice
to you, Railsford. Ainger, go for Mr Bickers, and come back with him."

Mr Bickers had a tolerable inkling of what awaited him, and when he
found himself confronted with all t