Nobody was at school before the proper hour next morning. Everybody seemed to wish to be last, every boy looked down-cast, and afraid of speaking to his neighbour, and even though Mr. Dilwyn took no notice, nay, said not a single word as to what had taken place, that was no relief to the boys’ minds. They felt that something was hanging over them; their consciences were ill at ease, and before mid-day was past all of them felt that they would rather have almost any punishment inflicted on them, than be thus kept in suspense and doubt. However, it was not till afternoon school that Mr. Warlingham appeared among them. Very grave he looked, and many a heart beat thick and fast when he began to address them. He told them that he was, of course, aware of all that had taken place the night before, and how very sure he was that they were all deeply grieved and sorry for the accident. “But,” he continued, “that accident would never have taken place but for the fire-works, and those fire-works ought never to have been bought without my permission. It was an act of dishonesty on your part, to spend the money I gave you, in any other way than that which I directed. I am willing to believe that you acted thoughtlessly, and without any wish or intention of being dishonest, but dishonest you have been, and that is a great reproach and shame to you. And now with respect to this poor woman, whom you have so greatly injured, how do you think of making up her loss to her?” Nobody answered: the boys knew not what to say. “Have you any notion what is the value of the property which you have destroyed?” “No, Sir,” replied two or three of the elder boys, with down-cast looks. “Well then, I will tell you. Mr. Crabbe, and Mr. Warren, the Squire’s bailiff, have been down to the rick this morning, and they assure me that Ten Pounds will hardly cover Dinah Marjoram’s loss: but that ten pounds, with two which the Squire has sent her, _will_ make up for the damage. _You_ must now find ten pounds. Can you do this?” There was another long silence. “You give me no answer,” said Mr. Warlingham, “but I can read your thoughts in your faces. Instead of ten _pounds_, perhaps there are not ten _pence_ in the school at this moment. Let me see how much money can be raised.--Harry Martin six-pence, Kennedy eight-pence, Dunn a penny, Nokes, three-half-pence, Blake two-pence:--in all, eighteen-pence half-penny.--But what are eighteen-pence, when Ten Pounds are required? and besides, why should one boy contribute six-pence, and ten or twenty nothing? Put up your money into your pockets, and let us consider how such a sum is to be raised _fairly_.” “I fear, Sir,” said Mr. Dilwyn, the schoolmaster, “that such a sum never _can_ be raised.” “I am certain it can,” replied the Vicar, “and if it can, it must.” “I’m sure I should not mind working out of school hours, Sir,” said Kennedy. “Nor I,” “nor I,” replied many more, “if it would do any good.”