the midst of the
listening boys. Parfitt turned to an ashen hue, and muttered something
between his teeth.

"Speak up, sir! Please not to mutter," commanded Mr. Weevil, turning to
Parfitt. "Do you deny that this letter"--he held up the anonymous
letter, with its cramped, disguised handwriting--"is the work of your
hand?"

Parfitt held up his head, and put on a bold front.

"No, sir; I don't deny it. That letter was written by me. As there were
other things coming out against Percival, I thought it only right that
you should make some inquiry into what he was doing on the night when
the pages were torn from the Black Book. I did not want to push myself
forward. I thought the inquiry would be better made by you; but as no
steps seem to have been taken to find out what Percival did, I don't see
why I should keep back what I know any longer."

"Well, what is it? What do you know? I am here to learn all I can."

"Well, sir, on the night that the pages were torn from the Black Book, I
saw Percival get out of bed, slip into some of his things, and out of
the dormitory. I saw him steal along the corridor, for what purpose I
couldn't guess. I made a pretty good guess the next day."

"Your guess was that Percival opened my desk, and stole the papers?"

"I believe he did, sir. For what else could he have stolen from the
dormitory in the dead of night?"

"Well, but what could be his purpose? Can you explain that?"

"Oh, that's easy enough explained. There were entries against himself
and his friend Moncrief in the book. A serious one had been made against
Moncrief that very afternoon, for which, you will remember, sir, he was
sent to Dormitory X."

"I remember--quite well," said the master. "Well, Percival, what have
you to say against this last charge?"

"Only that it is as false as the other."

"Did you leave your dormitory that night?"

"Yes, sir; I don't deny that. I did leave my room, but not to steal. I
left it to go to Moncrief in Dormitory X. I thought the punishment too
severe, sir, if you'll pardon me for saying so, so I thought that I
would keep him company. It was wrong of me, I know; but I did not give
it much thought at the time."

"And I can confirm every word that Percival has said!" exclaimed
Stanley. "He came to me that night--to Dormitory X."

"Pshaw!" cried Newall, taking up Parfitt's case. "How could he get to
you through the locked door?"

"He didn't get through the door. He came along the