Burr Junior Part 67

"And you?"

"I waited till he had gone, sir, and then I ran and told Burr major, sir."

"That will do. Now, Burr major, add what you told me this afternoon; but bear in mind, sir, that it is your duty to be very careful, for this is a charge of theft--of a crime sufficient almost to ruin a school-fellow's career."

Burr major spoke out quickly and eagerly, while I stood with my head down, feeling as if I were being involved in a tangle, out of which it seemed impossible to extricate myself.

"On the day I lost my watch, sir, Burr junior and Mercer were a good deal about near the tent. Burr junior would not play, because he said he had a bad headache, and Tom Mercer wouldn't play either."

"Well, sir?"

"I am very sorry to say it, sir," continued Burr major hesitatingly.

"It's a very painful charge to make, and I never said anything before to-day, but I always suspected Burr junior of taking the watch."

"Oh!" I e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed indignantly, as I faced round, but he did not meet my eye.

"And, pray, why?" said the Doctor.

"Because, please, sir, he seemed to be hanging about so near the tent."

I began to feel more confused, especially as the Doctor said then,--

"Then now we will adjourn--to the loft." I made a gesture as if to speak, but the Doctor raised his hand.

"After a while, Burr," he said, "after a while. Your turn will come."

I felt in a whirl of emotion, for I was half stunned at the turn matters had taken, and I tried again to catch Mercer's eye, but he did not even glance at me, but stood opening and shutting his hands as he glared at d.i.c.ksee, who looked horribly alarmed, and as if he would like to run away.

The Doctor signed to us to go, and we were taken through the house and servants' offices, so as not to attract the attention of the boys, reaching the yard at last, and entering the stable.

My ears seemed to have bells ringing in them as we stood there, and I heard the Doctor say,--

"Rather an awkward place for me to get up, Mr Rebble; but I suppose I must try."

He made the effort after we had all gone before, and reached the top no worse off than by the addition of a little dust upon his glossy black coat. Then, clearing his voice, as we all stood near the bin, in much the same positions as in the library, he began,--

"Ah, that is the straw, I suppose. Burr junior and Mercer have used this place a good deal, I believe, as a kind of atelier or workshop?"

"Yes, sir," said Burr major promptly.

"Then that is the bin, is it, d.i.c.ksee?"

"Yes, sir."

"And you say you saw Burr junior lock it up. Have you the key, Burr?"

I stood gazing at him wildly without answering, and then I glanced at Mercer, who met my eye with a look of terror and misery that was piteous to see. For now it was all to come out, and the theft would be brought home to him, for the poor lad to be expelled in disgrace and go home despairingly to those who loved him, and all because he could not restrain that horrible feeling of covetousness.

"I said, 'Have you the key, Burr junior?'" continued the Doctor more sternly, and I shuddered as the thought struck me now that I was becoming mixed up with the trouble, that they would not believe me if I told the truth--that truth which would be so difficult to tell for Mercer's sake.

"Burr junior," cried the Doctor very sharply now, "have you the key of that padlock?"

"Yes; sir," I faltered, giving quite a start now, as his words roused me as from a dream, and I felt horrified as I fully saw how guilty all this made me appear.

"Take the key, Mr Rebble, if you please," continued the Doctor, looking more and more pained, as I withdrew the rusty little instrument from my pocket. "Open the bin, please, and see if d.i.c.ksee's statement is made out."

Mr Hasnip was, I found, looking at me, and I felt a choking sensation as he shook his head at me sadly.

Then I glanced at Mercer, and found he was looking at me in a horrified way, and I let my eyes drop as I said to myself,--

"Poor fellow! I shall not have to speak; he'll confess it all. I wish I could save him."

And all the while the usher was unlocking the padlock, taking it from the staple, and throwing open the great lid back against the whitewashed wall, every click and grate of the iron and the creak of the old hinges sounding clear and loud amidst the painful silence.

"Will you come and look, sir?" said Mr Rebble.

"No," said the Doctor sternly. "Is there a rabbit-skin there, as this boy described?"

"Yes, sir."

"Take it out."

Mr Rebble obeyed, and once more I met Mercer's eyes gazing at me wildly, and, as I interpreted the look, imploring me not to speak.

The miserable stuffed distortion was brought out, and I felt half disposed to laugh at it, as I thought of my school-fellow's queer ideas for a group in natural history. But that was only a flying thought, succeeded by a mental pang that was most keen, as the rabbit was laid on the floor, and, acting on the Doctor's instructions, Mr Rebble went down on one knee, held the stuffed animal with one hand, and began to draw out the tow with the other.

A great patch came out, and Mr Rebble pressed it together and then opened it out, and I fancied I heard the Doctor sigh with satisfaction at nothing being found.

"It's further in, sir," cried d.i.c.ksee eagerly.

"Ah! you seem to know a great deal about it, d.i.c.ksee," said the Doctor.

"Yes, sir; I saw him put it in."

Mr Rebble thrust in his hand again, and my spirits sank lower as he drew out another tuft of tow, compressed it, and then, frowning heavily, began to tear it open.

"There is nothing there, then, Mr Rebble?" cried the Doctor eagerly.

"I am sorry to say, sir, there is," said the usher, as he laid open the tow till it was like a nest, with the little silver watch lying glistening in the middle; and the Doctor drew a long breath, his forehead now full of deeply-cut lines.

"Burr major," said the Doctor huskily. "Have the goodness to look at that watch. Is it yours?"

My school-fellow stepped to the Doctor's side and looked.

"Yes, sir," he said eagerly. "That's the watch I lost."

"How do you know, sir?"

"My father had my initials cut in the little round spot on the case, sir. There they are."