"So would any one, you little fool," said Wilton. "Don't bully him in that way, Wilton," said Whalley; "it's not the way to get the truth out of him. Elgood, I should have thought you innocent, if you didn't behave so oddly." "May I speak?" modestly asked a new voice. The speaker was Charlie Evson. "Yes, certainly," said Kenrick, in an encouraging tone. "Well then, please, Kenrick, and the whole of you, I think you _have_ had the truth out of him; and I think he _is_ innocent." "Why, Charlie?" said Whalley; "what makes you think so?" "Because I've asked him, and talked to him privately about it," said Charlie; "when you frighten him he gets confused, and contradicts himself, but he can explain whatever looks suspicious if you ask him kindly and Quietly." "Bosh!" said Wilton; "who frightened him?" "Silence, Wilton," said Whalley. "Well, Charlie, will you question him now for us?" "That I will," said Charlie, advancing and putting his hand kindly round Elgood's shoulder, as he seated himself on the desk by which Elgood was standing. "Will you tell us, as I ask you, all you told me this morning?" "Yes," said Elgood eagerly, while his whole manner changed from nervous tremor to perfect simplicity and quiet new that he had a friend to stand by him. "Well, now, about the money you've been spending lately?" questioned Charlie, with a smile. "You usen't to be so flush of cash, you know, a month ago." "I can tell you," answered Elgood; "I had a very large present--large for me, I mean--three weeks ago. My father sent me a pound, because it was my birthday, and my big brother and aunt sent me each a pound too." "I can answer for that being perfectly true," said Charlie, "for I went with my brother to the post-office this afternoon and asked, and found that Elgood had had three money-orders changed there. And now, Elgood, can you trust me with your purse?" "Of course I can, Charlie," said Elgood, readily producing it, and almost forgetting that the others were present. "Ah, well, now you see _I'm_ going to rifle it. Ah! what have we here? why, here's a whole sovereign, and eight shillings; that looks suspicious, doesn't it?" said Charlie archly. "No," said Elgood, laughing; "you went with me yourself when I bought my desk for eighteen shillings, and the rest--" "All right," said Charlie. "Look, you fellows: Elgood and I put down this morning the other things he's bought, and they come to fourteen shillings. I know they're right, for I didn't like Elgood to be wrongly suspected, so Walter want with me to the shops; indeed it was chiefly spent at Coles's"--at which remark they all laughed, for Coles's was the favourite "tuck shop" of the boys. "Well, now, 1 pound, 8 shillings plus 18 shillings plus 14 shillings makes 3 pounds, the sum which Elgood received from home. Is that plain?" "As plain as a pike-staff," said Bliss; "and you're a little brick, Evson; and it's a chouse if any one suspects Elgood any more."