as the
cow-house was on the wrong side, I was obliged to get on the wall to
read it. And I was pulling it off when you first saw me, and then--I
was afraid, and as I was rather over-reaching myself, I tried to get
down in a hurry, and fell down. I think the tree broke my fall; but I
don't know how it was, for I hardly understood any thing, even when
you came up."

"You had better have let it alone," said Reginald.

"What were you doing at the gate?" said Hamilton; "keeping watch?"

"One of them asked me," replied Louis.

Hamilton shook his head.

"Have you any idea how your bag came there?"

"Please don't ask me any questions about that, Hamilton. Will you not
believe I am innocent?"

"I fully believe your story, Louis, but I know you have been in bad
company lately, and I wish to help you to clear yourself. Tell me all
you know. If you have ever had even the least hand in any thing like
this, make a friend of me, and tell me at once. Have you not some
idea who put your bag there?"

"I may guess, you know," said Louis, evasively; "but, Hamilton, I
do assure you, I never had any thing to do with any robbery here at
all--never once."

"If you do not know who has done it, then," said Hamilton, "I am sure
your _guess_ is a very accurate one--whom do you _guess_?"

"I cannot tell you, Hamilton; you mustn't ask me."

"This is only nonsense," said Reginald, impatiently. "Are you going to
make a martyr of yourself for a set of bad fellows who are a disgrace
to the school?"

"They may tell themselves, perhaps," said Louis, "but I will not."

"Louis!" said Hamilton, seriously, "this is folly; don't let a
mistaken notion of honor induce you to screen these bad boys from
their just punishment. By doing so, you are doing an injury to others
as well as yourself. You must remember, that these evil-disposed boys
are still mixing with others, to whom their example and principles
may do much harm, independently of the evil done to themselves by
being allowed to sin with impunity. Louis, you were saying just now,
that you were very unfortunate--they are the most unfortunate whose
crimes are undiscovered, and therefore unchecked. If you are, as you
say, innocent of any participation in this affair, why should you wish
to conceal what you know, or, at least, telling me whom you lent your
bag to?"

"I did not lend it at all lately," said Louis, raising his face from
the pillow, where he had hidden it. "The thing is, Hamilt