During the whole of the morning's school-hours, Henry found it impossible to attend to his lessons. His mind was so absorbed in the approaching examination, which his master had told him should take place directly after twelve o'clock, that his sums were all done wrong, and his copies badly written. Nor was he the only boy in the school who was in this state of mind. His friend George felt for him, and appeared as anxious about it, as though he himself had been charged with the theft. The last words of Mr. Wardour occurred to his thoughts: "Above all, be friends to one another;" and the impressive manner in which it was said, was still fresh upon his memory. "Be friends to one another!" he exclaimed to himself: "ay, I will be his friend, because I am sure he is mine; and because I am sure, also, that he is innocent of this suspected robbery."
Little Ned too was restless all the morning, and longed for the time to arrive, when Henry would once more be enabled to put the tyrants to the blush. His little merry heart was, for once, depressed; but he had strong hopes that it would all end in the discomfiture of Greene and his friends.
Doctor Harris had as yet refrained from stating the circumstance to his family; but as the hour was near at hand when he determined to have a general search, he thought it best to make them acquainted with it, though with little hopes of gaining any information from them. When Mrs. Harris heard the tale, she treated it with indifference, and said that she had no doubt but that the money would be forthcoming; for it was her opinion, that some of the boys had taken it merely to tease Scott, whom she stated to be rather too fond of hoarding. The daughters thought the same, and were quite unhappy to think that their little favourite should be suspected. Juliana, indeed, was about to hasten to the school-room, in the hope of affording him some consolation, but was requested by her papa to remain where she was.
At length the school broke up; and, by the command of Dr. Harris, search was made in every part, not merely amongst the boys, but also amongst the servants; but, unfortunately, without finding the new coin. The boys were now all assembled with the family, and Dr. Harris commenced his examination, by asking Scott when he last saw his money. "Last Sunday morning, Sir," he replied; "and Henry was with me at the time." This Henry corroborated, by saying it was true, and that he saw him put it in his purse again; when Greene stepped forward and said, that he believed no person but Henry knew of Scott's possessing this new coin; and that he, therefore, was the only person that could have taken it.
At this direct charge Henry stood for some time amazed; and then bursting into a flood of tears, vehemently protested against the truth of his assertion, and dared him to the proof; when Walker, who stood close by Greene and Scott, said, "It is of no use for you to deny it, Master Wardour, as I know those that can prove they saw you take the money." Henry was for a moment speechless; when George said it was false, and demanded, with more than common earnestness, that he would bring forth his accusers, and let him meet them face to face.
This request was repeated by the rest of the boys, who feared they might have said something, in an unguarded moment, which Walker had construed into an assertion of Henry's guilt. Dr. Harris also requested Walker to name the person who saw him take the money; when he replied, that he knew no more than what Greene had told him, who said he saw Henry steal it.
Mrs. Harris now stepped forward, and earnestly entreated Greene, in common justice, if he had any proof that Henry took the money, or knew any thing of it, that he would instantly make it appear. At this Greene was a good deal confused; and after first of all acknowledging that he had said so, he then as plainly said that he knew nothing about it, but was sure that nobody else could have taken the money. Mrs. Harris, who was a sincere lover of justice, possessing too a great deal of discrimination, inveighed in very strong terms against charging a boy with theft, and casting aspersions upon his character, without any foundation whatever. "He has now been a considerable time in the school," she added, turning to her husband, "without ever having created any suspicion of his honesty, or without doing the slightest act upon which to ground such a charge. Besides, I have frequently trusted him with money to fetch various articles for me, and he has always acted with the strictest honesty; and," raising her voice, "I will myself be bound for his innocence upon this occasion, for there is not a more honest lad in the school; and it is my belief, that some of those who throw out hints of suspicion against Master Wardour, are much more likely, from their general character, to have robbed Scott than he is."
Greene now slunk behind the rest of the boys; and in consequence of this tone being taken by this excellent lady, Walker apologized for having accused Henry of so great a crime, and added, that he should never again believe what Greene said.