“Hold on, now,” said Wally, after three minutes had passed; “I’ll try it now—it’s my only chance. You Classic kids be ready to cut home with me as soon as I come back.”
So, starting at a run like one who had come a long distance and expected to find the senior alone, he dashed unceremoniously into Clapperton’s study, of course not appearing to notice the distinguished company present, crying—
“I say, Clapperton. Hooray! The money’s found. Rollitt’s no thief. Ain’t you glad! Oh, the doctor! I beg your pardon, sir.”
The next moment he, D’Arcy, Ashby, and Fisher minor were descending the stairs three steps at a time on the way back to Mr Wakefield’s as fast as their legs would carry them, and with all the righteous satisfaction of men who had done their duty at all costs.
“I reckon,” said Wally, “he pretty well knows about it now—and if he don’t, the doctor will rub it in.”
The unfortunate Clapperton, indeed, required no one to “rub in” the fact that he had made a mess of things.
The doctor did not attempt to do it. He merely carried the news of the finding of the money, and desired Clapperton, as the head of the house, to make it known as widely as possible.
“I say nothing now of the cruel wrong which has been inflicted by hasty suspicion on Rollitt. That shadow is still on the School. But the worst shadow, that a Fellsgarth boy was a thief, is happily removed, and I wish every boy in this house to hear of it at the earliest possible moment.”
And the doctor went, leaving Clapperton to gulp down the bitter pill as best he could.
Why should he have the job to do? He had not been the first to start the suspicions. Dangle had done that—Dangle, with whom he had fought. Why should not Dangle be called upon to put it right? Unluckily, Dangle was not the captain of Forder’s. He was not as responsible in starting the rumour as Clapperton, in his position, had been in adopting it.