“Now, Mr. Hathorn,” the lawyer said briskly, “we want neither hesitation nor equivocation. We may as well have it from you, because if you don't like telling the truth I can put the thirty miserable lads under your charge into the box one after the other.”
“They have had extra tasks to do during their play time,” Mr. Hathorn said, “because they refused to reveal which among them brutally murdered my cat.”
“And how do you know they murdered your cat?”
“I am sure they did,” the schoolmaster said shortly.
“Oh! you are sure they did! And why are you so sure? Had they any grudge against your cat?”
“They pretended they had a grudge.”
“What for, Mr. Hathorn?”
“They used to accuse her of upsetting the ink bottles when they did it themselves.”
“You did not believe their statements, I suppose?”
“Not at all.”