"Couldn't you now? And why couldn't you?"
"He was innocent."
"Innocent, was he? Who says he was innocent?"
"I do, Sir, because .... it was I."
It was a sickening moment for the Speaker. He gasped as if something had smitten him in the mouth, and his burly figure almost staggered.
"You did it .... what Stowell was expelled for?" he stammered.
"Yes, Sir," said Alick, and then, still with the tremor of a sob in his voice, he told his story. It was the same that he had told twice before, but with a sequel added. Although he had confessed to the Principal, they had expelled Stowell. Not publicly perhaps, but it had been expelling him all the same. Four days they had kept him in his study, without saying what they meant to do with him. Then this morning, while the boys were at prayers they had heard carriage wheels come up to the door of the Principal's house, and when they came out of Chapel the Study was empty and Stowell was gone.
"And then," said the Speaker (with a certain pomp of contempt now), "without more ado you ran away?"
"Yes, Sir," answered the boy, "by the lavatory window when we were breaking up after breakfast."
"Where did you get the money to travel with?"