For the first time since he started out, Fenn was conscious of a tremor. There is something about a closed door, behind which somebody is waiting to receive one, which appeals to the imagination, especially if the ensuing meeting is likely to be an unpleasant one. "Ah, Fenn," said the headmaster. "Come in." Fenn wondered. It was not in this tone of voice that the Head was wont to begin a conversation which was going to prove painful. "You've got your cap, Fenn? I gave it to a small boy in your house to take to you." "Yes, sir." He had given up all hope of understanding the Head's line of action. Unless he was playing a deep game, and intended to flash out suddenly with a keen question which it would be impossible to parry, there seemed nothing to account for the strange absence of anything unusual in his manner. He referred to the cap as if he had borrowed it from Fenn, and had returned it by bearer, hoping that its loss had not inconvenienced him at all. "I daresay," continued the Head, "that you are wondering how it came into my possession. You missed it, of course?" "Very much, sir," said Fenn, with perfect truth. "It has just been brought to my house, together with a great many other things, more valuable, perhaps,"--here he smiled a head-magisterial smile--"by a policeman from Eckleton." Fenn was still unequal to the intellectual pressure of the conversation. He could understand, in a vague way, that for some unexplained reason things were going well for him, but beyond that his mind was in a whirl. "You will remember the unfortunate burglary of Mr Kay's house and mine. Your cap was returned with the rest of the stolen property." "Just so," thought Fenn. "The rest of the stolen property? Exactly. _Go_ on. Don't mind me. I shall begin to understand soon, I suppose." He condensed these thoughts into the verbal reply, "Yes, sir." "I sent for you to identify your own property. I see there is a silver cup belonging to you. Perhaps there are also other articles. Go and see. You will find them on that table. They are in a hopeless state of confusion, having been conveyed here in a sack. Fortunately, nothing is broken." He was thinking of certain valuables belonging to himself which had been abstracted from his drawing-room on the occasion of the burglar's visit to the School House. Fenn crossed the room, and began to inspect the table indicated. On it was as mixed a collection of valuable and useless articles as one could wish to see. He saw his cup at once, and attached himself to it. But of all the other exhibits in this private collection, he could recognise nothing else as his property. "There is nothing of mine here except the cup, sir," he said. "Ah. Then that is all, I think. You are going back to Mr Kay's. Then please send Kennedy to me. Good night, Fenn." "Good night, sir."