ave surer evidence to go upon. No further evidence had been
forthcoming, but delay might be dangerous; so he determined to write.

So he went into the writing-room, and wrote to Mr. Moncrief, telling him
exactly what had happened on the night he went to Dormitory X.

"I am pretty well certain," he went on, "that the man I saw with Mr.
Weevil is one of the men who came after me on the night I came to your
house at Redmead--the chief of the two. It was night-time, but I had a
fairly good view of his face. What he has to do with Mr. Weevil, I can't
make out. I should be sorry to think that Mr. Weevil has anything to do
with a traitor to his country; but there must be something at the bottom
of it all. What that something is, you may be able to find out better
than I can. Dr. Colville, our Head, is away, so I cannot go to him. What
ought to be done? Will you let me know what you think?"

Having written this letter, Paul felt more comfortable. So soon as he
heard from Mr. Moncrief, his lips would be unsealed, and he might take
steps to clear his own honour. He would then be able to explain to his
Form--to all the school if need be--what had prevented him from
confronting Wyndham at the sand-pit.

But having finished his letter, there was one great difficulty in the
way. All letters written in the school were supposed to pass, first of
all, through the hands of the master. How could he let that letter pass
through the hands of Mr. Weevil? As he was thinking over this dilemma,
Hibbert entered the room, and told him that Mr. Travers wished to speak
to him. Mr. Travers was master of the Fifth.

Paul rose to his feet, and thrust the letter in his pocket, wondering
what Mr. Travers could want with him. Then it occurred to him that
Hibbert was just the boy he wanted; he could trust Hibbert with
anything. Hibbert would post the letter for him.

"Hibbert, I want you to do me a great favour," he said, drawing the
letter from his pocket. "I want you to post this letter for me. There's
nothing wrong in it, I give you my word of honour; but, I don't want Mr.
Weevil to know. That's why I am not sending it through the school post."

Hibbert expressed his willingness to post it, and Paul handed him the
letter, then went to Mr. Travers' room. Hibbert hastened off with the
letter, but, as ill-luck would have it, he ran full tilt against Mr.
Weevil, just as he reached the outer door. In doing so, he stumbled, and
would have fallen to the