r I'd nothing to do with it."

"Oh-h-h-h!"--the long, intense, deep-drawn expression of disgust and
contempt ran round the room.

"You have told me a lie!" said Mr Rose slowly, and with strong
contempt. "No words can express my loathing for your false and
dishonourable conduct. Nor shall your lie save you, as you shall find
immediately. Still you shall escape if you can or dare to deny it
again. I repeat my question--Were you engaged in this?"

He fixed his full, piercing eye on the culprit, whom it seemed to scorch
and wither. Brigson winced back, and said nothing. "As I thought,"
said Mr Rose.

"Not one boy only, but many were engaged. I shall call you up one by
one to answer me. Wildney, come here."

The boy walked in front of the desk.

"Were you one of those who threw?"

Wildney, full as he was of dangerous and deadly faults, was no coward,
and not a liar. He knew, or at least feared, that this new scrape might
be fatal to him, but raising his dark and glistening eyes to Mr Rose,
he said penitently--

"I didn't throw, sir, but I _did_ put out one of the candles that it
might be done."

The contrast with Brigson was very great; the dark cloud hung a little
less darkly on Mr Rose's forehead, and there was a very faint murmur of
applause.

"Good stand back. Pietrie, come up."

Pietrie, too, confessed, and indeed all the rest of the plotters except
Booking. Mr Rose's lip curled with scorn as he heard the exclamation
which his denial caused; but he suffered him to sit down.

When Wright's turn came to be asked, Mr Rose said--"No! I shall not
even ask you, Wright. I know well that your character is too good to be
involved in such an attempt."

The boy bowed humbly, and sat down. Among the last questioned was
Vernon Williams, and Mr Rose seemed anxious for his answer.

"No," he said at once,--and seemed to wish to add something.

"Go on," said Mr Rose encouragingly.

"Oh, sir! I only wanted to say that I hope you won't think Eric knew of
this. He would have hated it, sir, more even than I do."

"Good," said Mr Rose; "I am sure of it. And now," turning to the
offenders, "I shall teach you never to dare again to be guilty of such
presumption and wickedness as to-night. I shall punish you according to
my notion of your degrees of guilt. Brigson, bring me a cane from that
desk."

He brought it.

"Hold out your hand."

The cane fell, and instantly split up from top to bottom. Mr R