was, with his eyes on the ground, while the
doctor was speaking, and attempted no plea to mitigate the sentence
against him.

"I find," continued the doctor, "that if he tells the truth he has not
been the only, and perhaps not the principal, culprit. He says he did
what he did at the suggestion of Silk. Perhaps you will send for Silk
now, Riddell."

Riddell went off to discharge the errand. When he returned Gilks looked
up and said, nervously, "Need I stay, sir? I don't want to see Silk."

The doctor looked at him doubtfully, and replied, "Yes, you must stay."

A long, uncomfortable pause followed, during which no one spoke or
stirred. At length the silence was broken by a knock on the door, and
Silk entered.

He glanced hurriedly round, and seemed to take in the position of
affairs with moderate readiness, though he was evidently not quite sure
whether Gilks or the captain was his accuser.

The doctor, however, soon made that clear.

"Silk," he said, "Gilks accuses you of being a party to the cutting of
the rudder-links of one of the boats in the race last May. Repeat your
story, Gilks."

"He needn't do it," said Silk, "I've heard it already."

"He says you suggested it," said the doctor.

"That's a lie," said Silk sullenly; "I never heard of it till
afterwards."

"You know you did," said Gilks. "When I was turned out of the boat, and
couldn't baulk the race that way, it was you suggested cutting the
lines, and I was glad enough to do it."

"So you were," snarled Silk, incautiously--"precious glad."

"Then you did suggest it?" said the doctor, sharply.

Silk saw his mistake, and tried to cover it, but his confusion only made
the case against him worse.

"No, I didn't--he told me about it afterwards--that is, I heard about
it--I never suggested it. He said he knew how to get at the boats, and
I said--"

"Then you did speak about it beforehand?" said the doctor.

"No--that is--we only said--"

"Silk," said the doctor, sternly, "you're not speaking the truth. Let
me implore you not to make your fault greater by this denial."

Silk gave in. He knew that his case was hopeless, and that when Gilks
had said all, Riddell could corroborate it with what had been said last
night.

"Well--yes, I did know of it," said he, doggedly.

"Yes," said the doctor; "I'm glad at least you do not persist in denying
it. You must quit Willoughby, Silk; I shall telegraph to your father
this afternoon. Yo