aid Oliver, "he was awfully frightened of you or his father
getting to know about it all, sir."

"Foolish boy!" said the Doctor, with a half groan.

What little could be done at that late hour was done. Strict inquiries
were made on all hands as to when and where the missing boy was last
seen, and it was ascertained that he must have left Saint Dominic's that
morning during early class time, when every one supposed him ill in bed
with a headache.

But where had he gone, and with what object? A telegram was sent to his
father, and the reply came back that the boy had not gone home, and that
Mr Loman was on his way to Saint Dominic's. At the Maltby railway
station no one had seen or heard anything of him.

Meanwhile, Mr Rastle had gone down to the Cockchafer to see Cripps.
The landlord was not at home, but, said the potboy, was most likely "up
along with the old 'un at the lock-'us." From which Mr Rastle gathered
there was a chance of seeing Mr Cripps junior at the residence of Mr
Cripps senior, at Gusset Lock-house, and thither he accordingly went.
Mr Cripps junior was there, sweetly smoking, and particularly amiable.

In answer to Mr Rastle's inquiries, he made no secret of his belief
that the boy had run away for fear of exposure.

"You see, Mister," said he, "I don't like a-getting young folk into
trouble, but when it comes to robbing a man downright, why, I considers
it my dooty to give your governor the tip and let him know."

Mr Rastle had no opinion to offer on this question of morals. What he
wanted to know was whether Cripps had seen the boy that day, or had the
slightest idea what had become of him.

Mr Cripps laughed at the idea.

"Not likely," he said, "he'd tell me where he was a-goin' to, when he'd
got thirty-five-pound of mine in his pocket, the young thief. All I can
say is, he'd better not show up again in a hurry till that little bill's
squared up." And here Mr Cripps relapsed into quite a state of
righteous indignation.

"Wait till he do come back, I says," he repeated. "I'll be on him,
mister, no error. I'll let the folks know the kind of young gents you
turn out up at your school, so I will."

Mr Rastle took no notice of all this. He admitted to himself that this
man had some reason for being disagreeable, if Loman had really
absconded with such a debt as he represented.

"Thirty-five pounds," continued Cripps, becoming quite sentimental over
his wrongs, "and if you won't beli