I should require to see you again."

The keeper saluted and retired.

"And now," went on the Doctor, in his most awe-inspiring tone, "what
have you got to say? On the night of Tuesday, you and another--with
whom I shall presently deal--were found by the man who has just gone out
in one of Lord Hebron's coverts. That pheasant lying there was killed
by you with that air-gun. Now, who was with you?"

"I don't know nothin' about it, sir."

"What?" thundered the Doctor, rising from his seat; and the next moment
Anthony received a terrific box on the ear which sent him staggering
against the table, followed up by another on the other side, the force
of which wellnigh restored him to his original equilibrium. "So you
would add lying to your other misconduct, would you? Now, answer my
question. Who was with you?"

But the question was addressed seemingly to empty air. The Zulu boy,
thinking to detect another hostile move, had incontinently dived under
the table.

Here was a situation wholly outside the Doctor's experience. He was a
violent-tempered man when roused, especially when his dignity had
sustained, as he thought, any slight, but he had too much sense of that
dignity to embark actively in the chase of a boy who had got under the
table of his own study. Not for a moment, however, was he nonplussed.

"Come out and stand where you were before," he said, "and that at once,
or I shall send for two prefects to drag you out, and shall cane you now
as I have never caned a boy before, and that in addition to whatever
punishment I shall decide to inflict upon you for your other offence.
Do you hear?"

Anthony did hear, and being, like most of his race, of a practical turn
of mind, had rapidly decided that it was better to be thrashed once than
twice; wherefore he emerged from under the table, and stood upright as
before, but with a quick and watchful eye, ready to dodge any further
hostile move on the part of the Doctor.

The latter, for his part, had had time to think; and in the result it
occurred to him that it was scarcely fair to judge this raw young
savage, for he was hardly more, with the same severity as the ordinary
boy. So he would refrain from further violent measures for the present.

"Who was with you?" he repeated remorselessly, and in a tone which in
all his experience he had never known any boy able to hold out against.
But he reckoned without the staunch, inherent Zulu loyalty.

For now Ant