“You know, Harry, that I asked you to put it away—did I not?” cried Louis.
“I don't know—yes—I think you did,” said Churchill, growing very hot.
“Why did you not put it away?” asked Dr. Wilkinson.
“Because I thought he wanted it, please sir.”
“But I did not, Harry! I told you I did not,” said Louis, eagerly.
Dr. Wilkinson desired Louis to be silent, and continued his questions—
“Did you try to persuade him to use it?”
Again Churchill paused, and again confessed, most unwillingly, that he had done so—and received a severe reprimand for his conduct on the occasion, and a long task to write out which would keep him employed during the play-hours of that day.
He was then dismissed, and Dr. Wilkinson again addressed himself to Louis: “I am glad to find that part of your story is correct; but I now wish you to explain how my key found its way into the school-room yesterday, when discovered by Mr. Witworth. The book must have been deliberately taken out of this room into the school-room. You appear to have been alone, or nearly so, in the school-room the greater part of yesterday afternoon, and Mr. Witworth found the book half concealed by your lesson books while you were writing your exercises.”
“I assure you, sir, I did not take it,” said Louis.