sir," said Hamilton,
reservedly.

"And you are ignorant of the party?" said the doctor, with raised
eyebrows.

"No, sir, I know who has done it," replied Hamilton, after a slight
pause; "but I must beg you to excuse my naming him. I think there
is no danger of a repetition of the offence. Of course you will
understand, sir, that I do not mean Digby, who is as innocent as
I ever believed him."

There was a little silence, while the doctor ran his eye down
a page of Hamilton's manuscript.

"As you wish to keep the matter secret, I shall ask no further
questions; only, Digby may not think it quite fair."

"He wishes it to be so, sir," replied Hamilton, eagerly. "It is quite
his wish now he knows I have _proof_ that he is not the culprit."

Dr. Wilkinson's face lighted up with an expression of great satisfaction,
as he said,

"It does Digby credit."

Hamilton was on the point of hazarding a remark on the impossibility
of Frank's contemplating such a thing, when they turned a corner of the
lane that brought them in sight of the playground wall and the farm-yard
opposite. The doctor's attention was suddenly arrested by the figure of
a boy, perched on the top of the high wall surrounding the latter, who
was reaching downwards towards the top of a large hawthorn-tree that
grew inside.

"Hey-day! Hamilton, who's that?" he exclaimed. "Do you recognize
the figure? If my eyes deceive me not, it is Louis Mortimer. I have
strongly suspected lately that I have been robbed more than once.
It _is_ Louis Mortimer."

The doctor's tone assumed its ready sternness, and he quickened his
pace. Hamilton could not doubt the evidence of his senses, but he felt
miserably disappointed.

"I do not think Louis Mortimer would do so, sir," he said, faintly.

"There he is, however, out of bounds," said the doctor.

"Something else may have taken him there," said Hamilton.

"I hope it may prove so, but he is surely receiving something from
below--he sees us--he will be down--he will assuredly break his neck!"
exclaimed the doctor, hurriedly. "There--quick, Hamilton--run."

Hamilton needed no bidding, for, as soon as he saw Louis fall,
he ran off in the direction of the stable-yard. The doctor followed
so quickly that Hamilton had only just raised Louis from the ground
when he came up. To their great satisfaction he was not much hurt,
having fallen on a heap of straw that lay just under the wall. He
was much frightened, and at first