omething more than an exclamation of recognition on finding the desired
passage. There was too much surprise and too much pain in the word for
that.

Was the Doctor ill? He closed the book and sat back in his chair in a
sort of bewilderment. Then suddenly, and with an evident effort,
recovering himself, he let his eyes once more rest on the closed
Juvenal.

"Loman," he said, "will you come and find the passage for me? Turn to
the Fifth Satire."

Loman obeyed, much wondering, notwithstanding, why the Doctor should ask
him, of all people, to come up and turn to the passage.

He advanced to the head master's desk and took up the Juvenal.

"The Fifth Satire," repeated the Doctor, keeping his eyes on the book.

Certainly the Doctor was very queer this morning. One would suppose his
life depended on the discovery of that unlucky line, so keenly he
watched Loman as he turned over the pages.

Was the book bewitched? Loman, as he held it, suddenly turned deadly
white, and closed it quickly, as if between the leaves there lay a
scorpion! Then again, seeing the Doctor's eye fixed on him, he opened
it, and, with faltering voice, began to read the line.

"That will do. Hand me the book, Loman."

The Doctor's voice, as he uttered these words, was strangely solemn.

Loman hurriedly took a paper from between the leaves and handed the book
to the Doctor.

"Hand me that paper, Loman!"

Loman hesitated.

"Obey me, Loman!"

Loman looked once at the Doctor, and once at the Juvenal; then, with a
groan, he flung the paper down on to the desk.

The Doctor took it up.

"This paper," said he, slowly, and in an agitated voice--"this paper is
the missing paper of questions for the Nightingale Scholarship last
term. Loman, remain here, please. The other boys may go."

CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR.

THE MATCH AGAINST THE COUNTY.

The boys, astounded and bewildered by this unexpected revelation, slowly
rose to obey the Doctor's order, leaving Loman alone with the head
master.

The boy was ashy pale as Dr Senior turned to him and said, solemnly--

"How do you account for this, Loman?"

Loman lowered his eyes and made no reply.

"Answer me please, Loman. Can you account for this?"

"No."

"Did you ever see this paper before?"

"No."

"Do you know how it came into your Juvenal?"

"No."

"Did you know anything at all about the lost paper?"

"No."

The Doctor looked long and searchingly at him as he said on