"That is a wise plan. It seems that you have voluntarily returned, in spite of Tom Topover, Splugger, and Dumper," replied the principal encouragingly.
"Yes, sir, we were sure we should be captured; and, while Tom was asleep, we brought him back to Beech Hill, and we are very sorry we took any part in the enterprise," added Bent, acting his part very well; though the principal understood him as well as though he had said he was playing the penitent.
"Perhaps it is fortunate for you that he was asleep, if you decided to retrace your steps."
"I think we should have come back all the same if he had been awake, though it might have cost us a fight in that case; and we had agreed to take things as they came," replied Bent, with a modest display of virtue.
"That is, you had resolved to fight for the privilege of doing your duty," added Captain Gildrock. "Don't be over modest about it. Duty presented herself before you; and, though peril and suffering lay between you and her, you were determined to follow her at all hazards."
This raillery took all the starch out of Bent Fillwing. The principal saw through his parade of confession, and took no stock in his penitence.
"I said we came back because we were sure we should be caught, though we all agreed that the scrape was a bad egg," replied Bent, switching off to a new track.
"What was the scrape?" asked the captain, looking from one to another of the delinquents.
"That is more than we know. Tom Topover sailed under sealed orders; and he would not tell us what we were going to do, or where we were going. He promised us that we should go to the theatre, and live at the hotels; and he did not mean to come back to Beech Hill. We couldn't get any thing out of him in regard to his plan. He said he would pay the bills, but he would not tell us any thing," Bent explained.
"And you went with him on these terms?"