“Yes,” said the Doctor. “Go on, go on.”
“Then, sir, I came back across the playground and turned into the yard to go into the well-house, where I tied the end of the kite-string round the case very tightly and safely, and then leaned over and lifted one of the flaps of the well lid—”
“And lowered the case down into the well?” cried the Doctor excitedly.
“Yes, sir,” said Glyn; “and I could smell the cool, damp sides of the place, and hear a faint dripping of the water as I let the string run through my fingers, till at last the case splashed and it ran down more slowly, seeming to jerk a little to and fro as a flat thing does when it sinks, till I felt it touch the bottom. And then I leaned over to feel for a place where I could tie the string to one of the loose bricks at the side.”
“But there are no loose bricks at the side, my boy,” said the Doctor.
“No, sir,” said the boy. “I couldn’t feel one; and then all at once, as I was feeling about, the ball slipped out of my fingers and fell below with a splash.”
“So that you could not pull the case up again?” cried the Doctor.
“Yes, sir,” said Glyn very slowly, and looking at him in a peculiar manner.
“And then,” said the Doctor, “what did you do?”
“Nothing, sir,” replied Glyn, “for just then the first bell rang.”