confession from him."

"But--but he'll ask when he finds it out--"

"Let him. We know nothing about it. Don't be coming the good boy over
me like your brothers. That won't do--I know whose eyes are not too
short-sighted to read upside down."

Tom shrank and looked abject, clinging to the hope that Mr. Harrison
would not open the book for weeks, months, or years.

But the next morning his heart died within him, when he beheld the
unfortunate piece of blotting-paper, displayed by Mr. Harrison, with the
inquiry whether any one knew to whom it belonged, and what made it worse
was, that his sight would not reach far enough to assure him whether
Harry's name was on it, and he dreaded that Norman or Hector Ernescliffe
should recognise the nautical designs. However, both let it pass, and
no one through the whole school attempted to identify it. One danger was
past, but the next minute Mr. Harrison opened his Smith's 'Antiquities'
at the page where stood the black witness. Tom gazed round in despair,
he could not see his brother's face, but Edward Anderson, from the
second form, returned him a glance of contemptuous encouragement.

"This book," said Mr. Harrison, "was left in school for a quarter of an
hour yesterday. When I opened it again, it was in this condition. Do any
of you know how it happened?" A silence, and he continued, "Who was in
school at this time? Anderson junior, can you tell me anything of it?"

"No, sir."

"You know nothing of it?"

"No, sir."

Cold chills crept over Tom, as Mr. Harrison looked round to refresh his
memory. "Larkins, do you know how this happened?"

"No, sir," said Larkins boldly, satisfying his conscience because he had
not seen the manner of the overthrow.

"Ernescliffe, were you there?"

"No, sir."

Tom's timid heart fluttered in dim hope that he had been overlooked, as
Mr. Harrison paused, then said, "Remember, it is concealment that is the
evil, not the damage to the book. I shall have a good opinion ever after
of a boy honest enough to confess, May junior, I saw you," he added,
hopefully and kindly. "Don't be afraid to speak out if you did meet with
a mischance."

Tom coloured and turned pale. Anderson and Larkins grimaced at him, to
remind him that they had told untruths for his sake, and that he must
not betray them. It was the justification he wanted; he was relieved
to fancy himself obliged to tell the direct falsehood, for which a long
course of petty acted deceits