"I applaud your sentiment," said Mr. Delermain. "Well, my dear lad, let me impress upon you that I do not believe you to be a thief. Let me give you my sympathy, and let me encourage you to bear this trial—I fully understand how hard it must be for one of your nature—bravely; and let me assure you that I shall look forward with just as much pleasure as formerly to your visits in the evening. Do not let this interfere with your studies for the Newlet medal, and rest sure that I should not again invite Ralph Rexworth into my study if I suspected him of being a thief."

"The boy has some sort of suspicion," reflected the master, after Ralph had gone. "He suspects some one. Now whom can that be? Is he shielding that boy Charlton? He is a weakly dispositioned lad—one likely to fall into temptation, and to yield to it too. I must watch him quietly. Charlton is the most likely boy to have done this. He is poor too. Perhaps he took it to help his mother. Poor lad! if that is the case, I would be the last one to bring him to punishment." He paused and shook his head. "I ought to take a lesson from Rexworth," he went on, with a smile. "He will not speak upon mere suspicion, and here I am weaving a theory without the slightest ground for so doing, and actually arriving at the conclusion that a certain boy is guilty, when I have not the least right to even connect him with the theft."

Mr. Delermain went back to his duties, but still that thought was in his head—was it possible that Charlton had taken that five-pound note, and that Ralph Rexworth knew it, and was silent only for the sake of his chum? Ralph felt quite cheered by his master's words. He did not dream that Mr. Delermain thought anything about Charlton being the thief, and he soon found another comforter in the person of good-hearted Tom Warren; for the monitor came up to him with outstretched hand, crying heartily—

"Look here, Rexworth, you are asking for a fight with me, that's what!"

"Eh?" said Ralph, staring. "I don't understand."

"Well then, why are you cutting me like this? Oh, think I don't notice it? You are sitting moping, just like an old magpie that is moulting. Look here, don't be so jolly silly as to worry about what these kites say or do. It's only Elgert and his gang, and Dobby and Co. They are always glad to be able to chuck stones at another fellow's glasshouse; but they will get their own windows smashed in time. Now, don't hide your head as though you had done something to be ashamed about. Come into the playground with me."

"The other fellows don't want me, and I don't want to go where I am not wanted."

"Rubbish! Downright silly rubbish!" retorted Warren. "I want you! I want you to show me how to throw one of those ropes like you do. I cannot manage it. I was trying the other day, and I caught Bert Standish an awful smack in the eye, and jolly nearly knocked it out for him; and if you had seen him scudding after me, one hand on his injured optic and the other shaking in very wrath! I didn't stop to argue until I got safe inside my study and had the bolt drawn; and then he stood outside kicking the panel, and calling me a chump, and a kite, and a cuckoo, and all manner of pretty and polite names, and inviting me to come out and let him wipe up the floor with me. I spoke soft words, and tried to pour oil on troubled waters, only the troubled waters were not taking any, and would not be assuaged until Kesterway came along and said that he would report him for damaging the paint if he didn't stop it. I have kept out of Bert's way since then, and he has got a lovely bruise under his eye. Come on, Ralph, and show me how you do it without knocking any one's head off."

So Ralph suffered himself to be taken into the playground, and though some looked at him suspiciously and edged away from him, others of Warren's disposition resolved that, at any rate, they would wait for proof before condemning him, gathered round Ralph, and made him feel that they were his friends.

So opinions were divided, and Marlthorpe College split into two parties, one for, and one against Ralph—one with Tom Warren at its head, and the other with Horace Elgert, the Honourable Horace Elgert, the nobleman's son!