now?" Ned asked.

"Half past twelve, Ned."

"Half past twelve! Why, how can that be?"

"Why, my boy, you have had twenty-two hours' sleep."

Ned gave an exclamation of astonishment.

"You had two nights' arrears to make up for, and nature is not to be
outraged in that way with impunity. I am very thankful that you had a
good night, for I was really anxious about you yesterday."

"I feel rather heavy and stupid now," Ned said, "but I am all the better
for my sleep.

"Let me think," he began, looking round the room, for up till now
remembrance of the past had not come back again, "what am I doing here?
Oh! I remember now."

"You are here, my boy, on a charge of which I have no doubt we shall
prove you innocent. Of course Porson and I and all your friends know
you are innocent, but we have got to prove it to the world, and we shall
want all your wits to help us. But we needn't talk about that now. The
first thing for you to do is to put your head in a basin of water. By
the time you have had a good wash your breakfast will be here. I told
my old cook to prepare it when I came out, and as you are a favorite
of hers I have no doubt it will be a good one. After you have discussed
that we can talk matters over. I sent my boy down to the school just now
to ask Porson to come up here in half an hour. Then we three can lay our
heads together and see what are the best steps to take."

"Let me see," Ned said thoughtfully. "Was I dreaming, or have I seen Mr.
Porson since I came here?"

"You are not dreaming, Ned; but the fact is, you were not quite yourself
yesterday. The excitement you had gone through had been too much for
you."

"It all seems a dream to me," Ned said in a hopeless tone, "a confused,
muddled sort of dream."

"Don't think about it now, Ned," the doctor said cheerfully, "but get
off your things at once, and set to and sluice your head well with
water. I will be back in a quarter of an hour with the breakfast."

At the end of that time the doctor returned, his boy carrying a tray.
The constable on duty took it from him, and would have carried it into
Ned's room, but the doctor said:

"Give it me, Walker. I will take it in myself. I don't want him to see
any of you just at present. His head's in a queer state, and the less he
is impressed with the fact that he is in charge the better."

Dr. Green found Ned looking all the better for his wash. The swelling
of his face had now somewhat abated, but the