A long, uncomfortable pause followed, during which no one spoke or
stirred. At length the silence was broken by a knock on the door, and
Silk entered.
He glanced hurriedly round, and seemed to take in the position of
affairs with moderate readiness, though he was evidently not quite sure
whether Gilks or the captain was his accuser.
The doctor, however, soon made that clear.
"Silk," he said, "Gilks accuses you of being a party to the cutting of
the rudder-links of one of the boats in the race last May. Repeat your
story, Gilks."
"He needn't do it," said Silk, "I've heard it already."
"He says you suggested it," said the doctor.
"That's a lie," said Silk sullenly; "I never heard of it till
afterwards."
"You know you did," said Gilks. "When I was turned out of the boat, and
couldn't baulk the race that way, it was you suggested cutting the
lines, and I was glad enough to do it."
"So you were," snarled Silk, incautiously--"precious glad."
"Then you did suggest it?" said the doctor, sharply.
Silk saw his mistake, and tried to cover it, but his confusion only made
the case against him worse.
"No, I didn't--he told me about it afterwards--that is, I heard about
it--I never suggested it. He said he knew how to get at the boats, and
I said--"
"Then you did speak about it beforehand?" said the doctor.
"No--that is--we only said--"
"Silk," said the doctor, sternly, "you're not speaking the truth. Let
me implore you not to make your fault greater by this denial."
Silk gave in. He knew that his case was hopeless, and that when Gilks
had said all, Riddell could corroborate it with what had been said last
night.
"Well--yes, I did know of it," said he, doggedly.
"Yes," said the doctor; "I'm glad at least you do not persist in denying
it. You must quit Willoughby, Silk; I shall telegraph to your father
this afternoon. You must be ready to leave by this time to-morrow."
Silk hesitated for a moment, then with a look round at Riddell, he said,
"Before I go, sir, I think you ought to know that Wyndham junior--"
"What about him?" asked the doctor, coldly.
"He is in the habit, as Riddell here knows, of frequenting low places of
amusement in Shellport. I have not mentioned it before; but now I am
leaving, and Riddell is not likely to tell you of it, I think you ought
to know of it, sir."
"The matter has already been reported," said the doctor, almost
contemptuously. "You can go, Silk."
The game was fairly played out at last, and Silk slunk off, followed
shortly afterwards by the captain and Gilks.