parapet, and got
through the dormer window."

Blank amazement fell on the group.

"It's all very well to say that. Any one could say that," cried Parfitt;
"but we want something better than that. We want proof!"

"If you won't take Moncrief's word, I think I can prove it by Mr.
Weevil," said Paul, turning to the master. "As I passed by the window of
your room, sir, I took the liberty of peeping in. I saw you discussing
some plans with a friend. Perhaps you can recall it, sir?"

Mr. Weevil's mind had gone back to that night. He knew well enough to
whom Paul was referring thus delicately as his friend--Zuker.

"Percival is right in every particular, but"--he broke off, as though
suddenly recalling something--"there is one thing I ought to say.
Fancying I heard a noise in Dormitory X that night, I paid it a visit,
but found nobody there, except Moncrief, and he seemed fast asleep."

Parfitt, who had been looking glum, brightened up at this again.

"Seemed, sir," repeated Stanley, with a smile; "but I was just about as
wide awake as I am now, and Percival was--under the bed."

There was a titter of laughter at this piece of information. The ghost
of a smile played across the stern face of Mr. Weevil.

"I think Percival has made it perfectly clear as to where he was that
night. You see that he is perfectly innocent of the charge brought
against him by Parfitt; so we are thrown back into precisely the
position we were in before. We have still to find out who is the real
culprit--who it was opened my desk that night. As Parfitt has failed in
his purpose, let us put our heads together and see if we can get a
little nearer the truth. I will try to reconstruct the case for you, as
the French say. Who was the culprit? What was his motive? His motive was
to get possession of certain pieces of paper in my desk which gave
valuable information for a prize competition which was taking place
amongst the seniors--the prize, that is to say, to be given by Admiral
Talbot for the best essay on 'The Invasion of Great Britain.' He did not
want the Black Book. That would give him no assistance in his essay; but
what he wanted was to throw suspicion on a certain boy--also a
competitor for the prize--who was absent from his dormitory that night.
He did this by removing the leaf, amongst others, which referred to the
boy himself and the detention of his friend in the Punishment Dormitory.
Am I clear?"

The Form were following Mr. Weevi