"I was willing enough to go, until he put on as many airs as though he had been the principal of the Beech-Hill Industrial School. He was always under sealed orders, and gave off his commands as though he expected them to be obeyed, and no questions asked."
"That is the proper way to obey orders," added the principal, with a smile.
"Kidd and Pell did not want to go, but Tom blackguarded them into joining; and they were ready enough to come back as soon as the way was open. I don't know but they would have had a fight in order to follow that lady you spoke of," continued Bent, who was himself now.
"What lady? I have spoken of no lady."
"Duty—Miss Duty; but she was not as good-looking as Miss Lily Bristol. In our case she seemed to be pointing to the door of the brig."
The principal thought he might get the truth out of Kidd Digfield and Pell Sankland, who had not yet spoken a word. He questioned them; and they told him without any attempt at concealment or palliation, and with no mock humility, all that had occurred since they went to their rooms the night before. They were genuine penitents, and there was no fraud about them.
"You were weak to allow the blackguard talk of a fellow like Tom Topover to turn you aside, but you will know better next time," added Captain Gildrock very mildly. "Do you know any thing about this money?"
"Nothing at all, sir: I did not know Tom had it, except from what he said," replied Kidd.
"You don't know where he got it?"
Not one of them had the remotest idea.