The
masters soon heard the report, and sent Carter to make inquiries, but
they did not succeed in discovering anything definite about you. Then,
of course, everybody assumed as a certainty that you were guilty, and I
fear that my bare assertion on the other side had little weight."
Eric's eyes glistened as he drank in his friend's story.
"But, about a fortnight after, _more_ money and several other articles
disappeared from the studies, and all suspicion as to the perpetrator
was baffled; only now the boys began to admit that, after all, they had
been premature in condemning you. It was a miserable time; for every one
was full of distrust, and the more nervous boys were always afraid lest
any one should on some slight grounds suspect _them. Still_, things kept
disappearing.
"We found out at length that the time when the robberies were effected
must be between twelve and one, and it was secretly agreed that some one
should be concealed in the studies for a day or two during those hours.
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