Loman omitted to mention, as he had omitted to mention all along, that young gentlemen who win scholarships do not, as a rule, have the money they win put into their hands to do as they like with. But this was a trifling slip of the memory, of course! "I don't care when they pay you your money! All I know is I must have mine now, my young dandy. Next week the time's up." "But, Cripps, how _can_ I pay you unless I've got the money?" "No, no; I've had enough of that, young gentleman. This time I'm a-going to have my way, or the governor shall know all about it,--you see!" "Oh, don't say that!" said Loman. "Wait a little longer and it will be all right, it really will." "Not a bit of it. That's what you said three months ago," replied Cripps. "I won't ask you again," pleaded the boy; "just this time, Cripps." "Why, you ought to be ashamed of yourself, that you ought," exclaimed the virtuous landlord of the Cockchafer, "a keeping a honest man out of his money!" "Oh, but I'm certain to have it then--that is, next to certain." "Oh! then what you're telling me about this here Nightingale of yours is a lie, is it?" said the 'cute Mr Cripps. "You ain't got it at all, ain't you?" Loman could have bitten his tongue off for making such a blunder. "A lie? No; that is--Why, Cripps, the fact is--" he stammered, becoming suddenly very red. "Well, drive on," said Cripps, enjoying the boy's confusion, and proud of his own sharpness. "The fact is--I was going to tell you, Cripps, I was really; there's been something wrong about this exam. One of the fellows stole one of the papers, and so got the scholarship unfairly." "And I can make a pretty good guess," said Mr Cripps, with a grin, "which of the fellows that gentleman was." "No, it wasn't me, Cripps, really," said Loman, pale and quite humble in the presence of his creditor; "it was one of the others--Greenfield in the Fifth; the fellow, you know, who struck you on Saturday." "What, him?" exclaimed Cripps, astonished for once in a way. "That bloke? Why, he looked a honest sort of chap, he did, though I _do_ owe him one." "Oh," said Loman, following up this temporary advantage, "he's a regular swindler, is Greenfield. He stole the paper, you know, and so won the scholarship, of course. I was certain of it, if it hadn't been for that. I mean to have a row made about it, and there's certain to be another exam, so that I'm sure of the money if you'll only wait." "And how long do you want me to wait, I'd like to know?" said Cripps. "Oh, till after Christmas, please, at any rate. It'll be all right then, I'll answer for that." "You'll answer for a lot of things, it strikes me, young gentleman," said Cripps, "before you've done." There were signs of relenting in this speech which the boy was quick to take advantage of. "_Do_ wait till then!" he said, beseechingly. Cripps pretended to meditate.