ee, held the stuffed animal with one hand, and began to
draw out the tow with the other.

A great patch came out, and Mr Rebble pressed it together and then
opened it out, and I fancied I heard the Doctor sigh with satisfaction
at nothing being found.

"It's further in, sir," cried Dicksee eagerly.

"Ah! you seem to know a great deal about it, Dicksee," said the Doctor.

"Yes, sir; I saw him put it in."

Mr Rebble thrust in his hand again, and my spirits sank lower as he
drew out another tuft of tow, compressed it, and then, frowning heavily,
began to tear it open.

"There is nothing there, then, Mr Rebble?" cried the Doctor eagerly.

"I am sorry to say, sir, there is," said the usher, as he laid open the
tow till it was like a nest, with the little silver watch lying
glistening in the middle; and the Doctor drew a long breath, his
forehead now full of deeply-cut lines.

"Burr major," said the Doctor huskily. "Have the goodness to look at
that watch. Is it yours?"

My school-fellow stepped to the Doctor's side and looked.

"Yes, sir," he said eagerly. "That's the watch I lost."

"How do you know, sir?"

"My father had my initials cut in the little round spot on the case,
sir. There they are."

The Doctor took the watch, glanced at the letters, and laid it down.

"Yes," he said sadly, "that is quite right.--Mercer!" Tom started as if
he had received a blow, and looked wildly from one to the other.

"Come here."

"Oh, poor, poor Tom!" I sighed to myself, and I looked at him
pityingly, while he glanced at me.

"Hah!" ejaculated the Doctor; "there seems to be some understanding
between you. Now, sir, that bin has been used by you for some time, has
it not, for your collection?"

"Yes, sir," faltered Mercer.

"You and Burr junior have, I noticed, always been companions."

"Yes, sir."

"He joined you in collecting natural history objects?"

"Yes, sir; a little."

"Could he obtain access to that bin when he wished? Had he a key?"

"He could always get the key, sir, when he liked." The Doctor sighed,
and there was silence once more, while I glanced at Mercer wildly, and
if he could have read my eyes, he would have known that they said,
"Speak out now. Confess, and ask the Doctor to forgive you for giving
way to this terrible piece of covetousness."

"Now," said the Doctor, and we both started at the firm, sonorous tones,
"speak out frankly, sir. This is no time for trying to conceal th