e it was the cricket-match put it all out of my
head."

"Bah!" cried Morris.

"And then, you see, sir, I have so many things to think of about my work
and the young gentlemen that I haven't got room to remember everything;
and I always have to tick things off."

"Tick things off? What do you mean by that?" cried Morris.

"Well, sir, there's things to do and there's things that's done; things
I have got to remember, and things I haven't. The Professor said that
he'd come and see you, so that was his job and not mine; and if you'll
believe me, gentlemen all, I never remembered about his coming until
Colonel Severn here asked me about any one coming and wanting to write a
letter."

"I believe you," said the Colonel quietly, as if speaking to himself;
but it was sufficiently loud for Morris to hear, and he turned upon the
speaker fiercely.

"I protest, sir," he cried indignantly, "partly against my name being
dragged into this despicable theft, and partly on behalf of my friend
Professor Barclay, a scholar, a gentleman, and a professor of Sanskrit
and other Eastern languages; a gentleman, sir, though a poor and needy
gentleman upon whom the world had frowned, but whom I considered it an
honour and a privilege to know, as I should any gentleman whom I was
introduced to by my revered principal the Doctor. I cannot sit still
and hear such a man even suspected of being dishonest; and I beg you,
sir, and the Doctor will go on with this investigation so as to prove to
the world that Professor Barclay was a gentleman indeed."

CHAPTER THIRTY SIX.

THE COLONEL OPENS FOLK'S EYES.

Morris sat down, panting, and began wiping the perspiration from his
forehead. He looked very much agitated, and then he smiled with
satisfaction, for Singh sprang up and cried, "Mr Morris is quite right,
guardian. The Professor was a scholar and a gentleman, whom I knew
too."

"Indeed!" said the Colonel.

"Yes, sir. He spoke Hindustani very well for an Englishman. Why, you
saw him, sir!"

"I?" said the Colonel sharply. "Yes, sir; that night we were dining
with you at your hotel."

"The Colonel forgets," said Morris quickly. "He was with me in the
hall, sir, and wanted to be introduced to you."

"Oh," said the Colonel; "that man? No, I don't forget. I remember
perfectly well."

"And, guardian, he took such an interest in my belt!"

"Indeed!" said the Colonel quietly.

"Yes, sir, when I showed it to him. He asked to s