re
was a case, this is! Why, it is almost actionable--injuring your whole
prospects in life, and all because he will not take the trouble to make
an investigation! It is a crying shame."

"Every fellow in the school knows how it was," said Norman; "and plenty
of them would be glad to tell, if they had only the opportunity; but he
asked no one but those two or three worst fellows that were at the fire,
and they would not tell, on purpose. The school will go to destruction
now--they'll get their way, and all I have been striving for is utterly
undone."

"You setting a bad example! Dr. Hoxton little knows what you have been
doing. It is a mockery, as I have always said, to see that old fellow
sit wrapped up in his pomposity, eating his good dinners, and knowing no
more what goes on among his boys than this umbrella! But he will listen
to me--and we'll make those boys confess the whole--ay, and have up
Ballhatchet himself, to say what your traffic with him was; and we will
see what old Hoxton says to you then, Norman."

Dr. May and his son felt keenly and spoke strongly. There was so much of
sympathy and fellow-feeling between them, that there was no backwardness
on Norman's part in telling his whole trouble, with more confidence than
schoolboys often show towards their fathers, and Dr. May entered into
the mortification as if he were still at school. They did not go into
the house, but walked long up and down the garden, working themselves up
into, if possible, stronger indignation, and concerting the explanation
for to-morrow, when Dr. May meant to go at once to the head-master, and
make him attend to the true version of the story, appealing to Harvey
Anderson himself, Larkins, and many others, for witnesses. There could
be hardly a doubt that Norman would be thus exculpated; but, if Dr.
Hoxton would not see things in their true light, Dr. May was ready to
take him away at once, rather than see him suffer injustice.

Still, though comforted by his father's entire reliance, Norman was
suffering severely under the sense of indignity, and grieved that Dr.
Hoxton and the other masters should have believed him guilty--that
name of May could never again boast of being without reproach. To be in
disgrace stung him to the quick, even though undeservedly, and he could
not bear to go in, meet his sisters, and be pitied. "There's no need
they should know of it," said he, when the Minster clock pealing ten
obliged them to go indo