“No, I found it out accidentally. When I spoke to him about it he admitted it and seemed very sorry.”
“And why did he not come to me himself at once?”
“That’s just it, sir,” said the captain. “I advised him to do it, and he told me he had promised the—the companions with whom he went never to mention the matter to anybody, and this prevented his coming. He even went to them, and begged them to let him off the promise so that he might come and confess to you, but he did not succeed.”
“Did he ask you, then, to come and tell me?”
“No, sir. But he is in constant dread of your hearing about it from any one else, so that I thought it would be the best thing to tell you of it myself.”
The doctor nodded his head.
“He does not know, of course, of your doing this?”
“Oh no, sir.”
“And who were the companions who you say took him to this place?”
Riddell coloured up and felt very uncomfortable.