"After all," said he to Wraysford, "if the fellow is a coward why need I bother? Only I should have rather liked to thrash him for what he did to Stee." "Never mind--thrash him over the Nightingale instead." The mention of the Nightingale, however, did not serve to heighten Oliver's spirits at all. He turned dejectedly to his books, but soon gave up further study. "You can go on if you like," said he to Wraysford. "I can't. It's no use. I think I shall go to bed." "What! It's not quite nine yet." "Is that all it is? Never mind; good-night, old man. I'm glad it will all be over on Monday." Before Oliver went to bed he had a talk with Stephen in his study. He succeeded in putting pretty vividly before his young brother the position in which he had placed himself by going down to the public-house and associating with a man like Cripps. "What I advise you is, to make a clean breast of it to the Doctor at once. If he hears of it any other way, you're done for." Oliver certainly had an uncompromising way of putting things. "Oh, Noll, I never could! I know I couldn't. I say, will you? You can tell him anything you like." Oliver hesitated a moment, and then said, "All serene; I'll do it. Mind, I must tell him everything, though." "Oh, yes! I say, do you think I'll be expelled?" "I hope not. There's no knowing, though." "Oh, Noll! what _shall_ I do?" "It's your only chance, I tell you. If Cripps comes up and talks about it, or Loman tells, you're sure to be expelled." "Well," said Stephen, with a gulp, "I suppose you'd better tell him, Noll. Need I come too?" "No, better not," said Oliver. "I'll go and see if he's in his study now. You go up stairs, and I'll come and tell you what he says." Stephen crawled dismally away, leaving his brother to fulfil his self-imposed task. Oliver went straight to the Doctor's study. The door stood half-open, but the Doctor was not there. He entered, and waited inside a couple of minutes, expecting that the head master would return; but no one came. After all, he would have to put off his confession of Stephen's delinquencies till to-morrow; and, half relieved, half disappointed, he quitted the room. As he came out he encountered Simon in the passage. "Hullo, Greenfield!" said that worthy; "what have you been up to in there?" "I want the Doctor," said Oliver; "do you know where he is?" "If saw him go up stairs a minute ago; that is, I mean down stairs, you know," said the lucid poet. This information was sufficiently vague to determine Oliver not to attempt a wild-goose chase after the Doctor that night, so, bidding a hurried good-night to Simon, he took his way down the passage which led to Stephen's dormitory.