As they passed the head of the stairs, whose voice should they hear below, inquiring of a middle-boy if Clapperton was in the house, but the doctor's? "Yes, sir; shall I tell him you want him?" said the boy. "No, I'll go up to his room," said the head-master. "Whew!" said Wally, "what a go! and the door's locked on the outside!" "I'll go and turn it quietly," said Percy, "if you back up in case he flies out." But the precaution was not needed. Percy, who luckily had just taken off his boots, slipped up silently to the door, and the others from their lurking-place saw him quietly turn the key and then walk back, evidently unheard by the prisoner within. He passed the stair-head just before the doctor came up, and to their great relief ran into the arms of his friends unchallenged. The doctor, indeed, was too pre-occupied to dream that, as he went to Clapperton's study, nine small heads were craning out of a door at the end of the passage, watching his every step. "I say," whispered Ashby, in tones of horror, "suppose Clap thinks it's one of us, and goes for him!" "My eye, what a go!" ejaculated Cash. They saw the stately figure stand a moment at the door and turn the handle. Next moment he reeled back with an exclamation of amazement, nearly felled to the ground by a bulky dictionary hurled at his head! The nine lurkers fairly embraced one another in horror at the sight of this awful outrage; and when, a moment after, they saw the doctor gather himself together and return to the charge, this time closing the door behind him, they did not envy the unlucky Clapperton the awkward five minutes in store for him. How the two arranged matters no one could say. But as no sounds of violence issued, and the doctor did not summon any one to fetch his cane, they concluded Clapperton had offered a sufficiently humble apology for his mistake. "Hold on, now," said Wally, after three minutes had passed; "I'll try it now--it's my only chance. You Classic kids be ready to cut home with me as soon as I come back." So, starting at a run like one who had come a long distance and expected to find the senior alone, he dashed unceremoniously into Clapperton's study, of course not appearing to notice the distinguished company present, crying-- "I say, Clapperton. Hooray! The money's found. Rollitt's no thief. Ain't you glad! Oh, the doctor! I beg your pardon, sir." The next moment he, D'Arcy, Ashby, and Fisher minor were descending the stairs three steps at a time on the way back to Mr Wakefield's as fast as their legs would carry them, and with all the righteous satisfaction of men who had done their duty at all costs. "I reckon," said Wally, "he pretty well knows about it now--and if he don't, the doctor will rub it in." The unfortunate Clapperton, indeed, required no one to "rub in" the fact that he had made a mess of things.