A couple of days later the number of boys in the secret had multiplied fast, and Rollitt, as he walked across the Green to Hall or class, was watched and pointed out mysteriously by a score or more of curious boys.
Of course the story grew to all sorts of curious shapes. Percy (who was the first of the invalided juniors to appear in his usual haunts) had it from Rix, who had had it from Banks, who had had it from Underwood, who had had it from Wilcox, who had had it from Dangle, who had been present on the occasion, that Rollitt had met the head-master in a lane near Widow Wisdom’s, and holding a pistol at his head had made him turn out all his pockets, and relieved him of fifty pounds.
Percy said he didn’t believe it.
Whereupon Rix reduced the amount to thirty pounds.
Percy still could not accept the story.
Whereat Rix, anxious to meet his friend as far as possible, substituted a walking-stick for the pistol.
Still Percy’s gullet could not swallow even what was left.
Whereupon Rix suggested that it was open to doubt whether it was the doctor who was robbed or Fisher major. It might have been the latter.
Still Percy looked sceptical.
Which called forth an explanation that Rix did not mean to say that Dangle actually witnessed the occurrence; but that he knew it for a fact all the same.