"Upon my word and honour, I think it must have been the fellow!" cried Lamb, vehemently; and for once in his life Mr. Lamb spoke according to his conviction. "It stands to reason: who else was likely to be there?"
"I don't say he took it, mind," resumed Trace; "but of all, belonging to the college—masters, boys, servants, take the lot—the German is the one who seems most in need of money. One may say that much without treason. Look at his engaging Mother Butter's cheap lodgings! and living on potatoes and such things!"
"The other day he was dining off a suet-pudding: he ate it with salt," interrupted Fullarton's eager voice.
"How fond he must be of salt!" exclaimed Savage. And the boys laughed.
"He's working at some translation like old Blazes—sits up at night to do it," resumed Powell. "He told Loftus minor it was for a bookseller, who was to give him thirty pounds for it. He'd not work in that way if he didn't need money awfully."
"But where does his money go? His salary—what does he do with it?" wondered the boys.
"He must have private expenses," said Trace.
"What expenses?"
This was a question. They had once had an usher who indulged himself in horse exercise; they had had another who gave forty-five pounds for a violin, and half ruined himself buying new music. Mr. Henry did neither.
"Perhaps he has got a wife and family," hazarded Brown major, impulsively.