except that the fellow suspected was one of the last
he himself should have dreamt of, although others might be less
surprised.

That was not all. Next morning he sat next to Calder, a Classic boy, in
Hall, and asked him if he could keep a secret. Oh yes, Calder could
keep any amount of secrets. Then Wilcox told him the same story that he
had confided to Underwood, only adding that the amount in question was
said to be several pounds.

Calder hazarded the names of several boys; but Wilcox shrugged his
shoulders at them all.

"You'd better not ask me," he said; "it will only get out and make
trouble."

"Oh! but I promise I wouldn't tell a soul," said Calder.

"I can't tell you, though. But I'll tell you this. You'd never guess
the fellow had had as much in his pocket all his life."

"What--do you mean Rollitt?"

"I can't tell you, I say. I'm not at liberty to mention names."

The rumour thus admirably started went on merrily.

Before nightfall it was known in half a dozen Modern studies that the
Club funds had been robbed of L10 or L12 by a Classic boy, and that he
was being shielded by his own seniors. On the Classic side four or five
fellows whispered to one another that Rollitt had been caught in the act
of stealing money out of Fisher major's rooms a day or two ago.

Presently, one enterprising gossip sent the story of Widow Wisdom's boat
rolling in and out with the rumour of the stolen money. Encouraged by
that, some one else hinted that there had been deficiencies last term as
well as this; and in and out with the new story was started the report
that last term Rollitt had set up with a fishing-tackle and book of
flies worth ever so much.

A couple of days later the number of boys in the secret had multiplied
fast, and Rollitt, as he walked across the Green to Hall or class, was
watched and pointed out mysteriously by a score or more of curious boys.

Of course the story grew to all sorts of curious shapes. Percy (who was
the first of the invalided juniors to appear in his usual haunts) had it
from Rix, who had had it from Banks, who had had it from Underwood, who
had had it from Wilcox, who had had it from Dangle, who had been present
on the occasion, that Rollitt had met the head-master in a lane near
Widow Wisdom's, and holding a pistol at his head had made him turn out
all his pockets, and relieved him of fifty pounds.

Percy said he didn't believe it.

Whereupon Rix reduced the amoun