“I wonder at your speaking to that fellow,” said Bull, as the two new comers joined the group at the fire-place. “You will be yourself ashamed of having ever suspected him before long,” said Montagu warmly; “ay, the whole lot of you; and you are very unkind to condemn him before you are certain.” “I wish you joy of your _friend_, Duncan,” sneered Barker. “Friend?” said Duncan, firing up; “yes! he is my friend, and I’m not ashamed of him. It would be well for the school if _all_ the fellows were as honorable as Williams.” Barker took the hint, and although he was too brazen to blush, thought it better to say no more. CHAPTER XII THE TRIAL “A plot, a plot, a plot, to ruin all.” TENNYSON, _The Princess_. On the Monday evening, the head boy reported to Dr. Rowlands that the perpetrator of the offence had not been discovered, but that one boy was very generally suspected, and on grounds that seemed plausible. “I admit,” he added, “that from the little I know of him he seems to me a very unlikely sort of boy to do it.” “I think,” suggested the Doctor, “that the best way would be for you to have a regular trial on the subject, and hear the evidence. Do you think that you can be trusted to carry on the investigation publicly, with good order and fairness?” “I think so, sir,” said Avonley. “Very well. Put up a notice, asking all the school to meet by themselves in the boarders’ room tomorrow afternoon at three, and see what you can do among you.” Avonley did as the Doctor suggested. At first, when the boys assembled, they seemed inclined to treat the matter as a joke, and were rather disorderly; but Avonley briefly begged them, if they determined to have a trial, to see that it was conducted sensibly; and by general consent he was himself voted into the desk as president. He then got up and said-- “There must be no sham or nonsense about this affair. Let all the boys take their seats quietly down the room.” They did so, and Avonley asked, “Is Williams here?” Looking round, they discovered he was not. Russell instantly went to the library to fetch him, and told him what was going on. He took Eric’s arm kindly as they entered, to show the whole school that he was not ashamed of him, and Eric deeply felt the delicacy of his goodwill. “Are you willing to be tried, Williams,” asked Avonley, “on the charge of having written the insulting paper about Mr. Gordon? Of course we know very little how these kind of things ought to be conducted, but we will see that everything done is open and above ground, and try to manage it properly.” “There is nothing I should like better,” said Eric.