book. That
is so, Loman?"

"Yes, sir," replied Loman.

"When a boy makes a statement to me on his honour, I accept it as such,"
said the Doctor, very gravely, and looking hard at the boy. "I accept
it as such--"

Loman sat motionless with his eyes on the desk before him.

"But," went on the Doctor, turning again to the boys, "before I dismiss
the subject I must do justice to one among you who I find, much to my
pain, has been an object of suspicion in connection with this same lost
paper. Greenfield senior, I have no hesitation in saying, is perfectly
clear of any such imputation as that you put upon him. I may say in his
presence I believe him to be incapable of a fraudulent and mean act; and
further than that, you boys will be interested to hear that the
questions which he answered so brilliantly in that examination were not
the questions which appeared on the lost paper at all, but an entirely
new set, which for my own satisfaction I drew up on the morning of
examination itself."

This announcement _did_ interest every one--the Fifth particularly, who
felt their own humiliation now fourfold as they looked at Oliver, and
thought of what their conduct to him had been.

It interested Oliver and Wraysford as much as any one, but for a
different reason. Supposing Loman had taken the paper--this was the
reflection which darted through both their minds--supposing Loman _had_
taken the paper and worked up the answers from it, might not the sudden
change of questions described by the Doctor account for the low place he
had taken in the exam?

Altogether the Doctor's speech left things (except as concerned Oliver)
not much more satisfactory than before. The natural impulse of
everybody was to suspect Loman. But, then, six months ago the natural
impulse had been equally as strong to suspect Oliver, and--well, that
had somehow turned out a bad "spec," and so might this.

So Saint Dominic's really didn't know what to think, and settled down to
the work of the term in an uneasy frame of mind, wishing something would
turn up, to end the wretched affair of the lost paper definitely one way
or another.

Of course the report of the new state of affairs soon penetrated down to
the lower school, and the Guinea-pigs and Tadpoles at any rate were not
slow in making up _their_ minds on the burning question.

They turned out in a body and hooted Loman up and down the passages with
as much, if not more, glee than some of