“Nobody, as sure as I stand here.”
“Very well, you can go now. We shall have to tell the doctor, of course, and there’s no knowing what he will do. But it’s been your best chance to make a clean breast of it while you had the opportunity.”
The wretched Munger departed to his bed, but not to sleep. He could not conceive how Railsford first, and then these three prefects, should have discovered his deeply hidden secret. Not a word about it had escaped his own lips. Branscombe was away, and Clipstone scarcely anyone in Railsford’s house ever saw. But the secret was out, and what kept Munger awake that night was neither shame nor remorse, but fear lest he should be expelled, or, perhaps worse, arrested!
The three prefects sat late, talking over their wonderful discovery. “It’s good as far as it goes,” said Barnworth. “But it doesn’t clear up the question how Railsford got to hear of it, and what his motive has been in shielding the criminals. It can’t have been on Munger’s account, for the two have been at war all the term; and I don’t suppose since the affair he has exchanged two words with either Branscombe or Clipstone.”
“Don’t you think,” said the captain, “that now we do know all about it, we might go and ask him?”
It was a brilliant suggestion, and they went.
But Railsford was in bed and asleep; and his visitors, important as was their business, had not the hardihood to arouse him, and were reluctantly obliged to postpone their explanation till the morning.
Even then they seemed destined to be thwarted; for Railsford had gone for a bathe in the river, and only returned in time for call-over; when of course there was no opportunity for a private conference.
But as soon as breakfast was over they determined to catch him in his room, and put an end to their suspense there and then.
Alas! not five minutes before they arrived, Railsford had gone out, this time, as Cooke informed them, to the doctor’s.