e one has been and locked it up, and taken the key away."

"Indeed?" I said coldly.

"Yes. Don't look at a fellow that way. I didn't say you'd taken it,
because, of course, if you had, you would have put it up on the beam. I
say, who could it have been?"

"Ah! who could it have been?" I said.

"What's the matter with you? How queer you are! I tell you, I don't
think it was you, but old fatty Dicksee; I've seen him sneaking about
the yard a good deal lately, watching me, and he must have found out
where we kept the key, and he has nailed it for some lark, or to tease
me. Yes, that's it. You see if, next time we go, we don't find a dead
dog, or a dead cat, or something nasty, tucked in the bin. Some of 'em
served me that way before, when Bob Hopley's old donkey died, and they
put in its head. What shall we do?"

"Nothing," I said. "I have the key."

"You have? Oh, I am glad!"

"I went up and found the key there, so I locked it and put it in my
pocket."

"Why didn't you put it in the old place, and not give me all this
fright?"

"You know," I said solemnly.

"I--er--er--know--er--er--" he drawled tragically. "Dear me, how grand
we are!" he added, with a forced laugh. "No, I don't know."

"Then come up there with me, and I'll show you," I said fiercely.

"Oh, sir--no, sir--please, sir--don't, sir--I, sir--Oh, sir--I won't do
so any more, sir. Don't take me up there, sir, and punch my head, sir."

"Don't play the fool, but come along with me."

"Why, Frank, old chap, you aren't serious, are you? What's the matter?"

"Come up into the loft and see," I replied, as sternly as I could, but
feeling so miserable that I could hardly keep my voice from quivering.

"Oh, all right! I'm ready," he said rather stiffly now. "I've done
nothing to offend you that I know of. Come on."

We moved toward the yard, but before we reached the gateway, without
speaking now, our names were shouted, and, stopping and looking round, I
saw Mr Hasnip and Mr Rebble coming after us, the former beckoning.

We turned and walked toward him, with a cold sensation of dread running
through me; for what I knew made me shiver with dread, lest the real
cause of the disappearance of the watch should have been discovered; and
I remembered now about my headache on the cricket match day, and how
Mercer had hung about near me, going and coming between me and the tent.

The next moment we were facing the two masters, and Mr Reb