"Yes; go on."
"I looked out of the window, and saw it was Burr junior, so I went and
hid myself in the straw."
The rustling I thought was rats.
"Why?" said the Doctor sharply.
"Because Burr junior and Mercer are so jealous about any other boy going
up there, and they would have knocked me about, as you know, sir, they
did once before, for being up there."
"It isn't true!" I cried.
"Silence, sir," said the Doctor. "You shall be heard afterwards. Go
on, Dicksee."
"Yes, sir, please, sir. So I hid under the straw, and then I saw Burr
junior come up into the loft, and look round, and out of the window, and
everywhere but in the straw."
"State what you saw simply, sir," said the Doctor sternly; "and
recollect that you do not stand upon a very good pedestal, for you were
playing one of the meanest parts a human being can take, that of a spy."
"Hear! hear!" said the two masters together.
"Please, sir, I was afraid," pleaded Dicksee.
"Go on," said the Doctor.
"And I saw Burr junior open the big bin where he and Mercer keep their
rubbish."
"It may not be rubbish to them," said the Doctor, "Go on, sir."
"And after fiddling about a bit, and looking round to see if he was
watched, Burr junior took up a stuffed rabbit, put his hand inside, and
pulled out some tow, and then he opened that, and took out Burr major's
silver watch."
"How do you know it was?" said the Doctor sharply.
"Because we saw it such lots of times, sir, and I knew it again
directly."
"It might have been any watch," said the Doctor. "Go on."
"Yes, sir. And he looked at it, and played with it ever so long, and
then wrapped it up in tow again, and stuffed it inside the rabbit, and
then locked up the bin, put the key in his pocket, and went down."
"And you?"
"I waited till he had gone, sir, and then I ran and told Burr major,
sir."
"That will do. Now, Burr major, add what you told me this afternoon;
but bear in mind, sir, that it is your duty to be very careful, for this
is a charge of theft--of a crime sufficient almost to ruin a
school-fellow's career."
Burr major spoke out quickly and eagerly, while I stood with my head
down, feeling as if I were being involved in a tangle, out of which it
seemed impossible to extricate myself.
"On the day I lost my watch, sir, Burr junior and Mercer were a good
deal about near the tent. Burr junior would not play, because he said
he had a bad headache, and Tom Mercer wouldn't play either."
"Well, sir?"
"I am very sorry to say it, sir," continued Burr major hesitatingly.
"It's a very painful charge to make, and I never said anything before
to-day, but I always suspected Burr junior of taking the watch."
"Oh!" I ejaculated indignantly, as I faced round, but he did not meet
my eye.
"And, pray, why?" said the Doctor.
"Because, please, sir, he seemed to be hanging about so near the tent."