Then the Head appeared, and prayers were read. Poor Ralph! It was harder than ever to attend to worship now. He felt nervous at the ordeal before him, and yet he felt also that to seem nervous was to seem guilty--and he was innocent! That thought calmed him. The service was over, the Head was just going to dismiss the school when Ralph rose in his seat, and said in clear tones-- "Please, sir, may I say something in open school? It is something of importance, something connected with the banknote which Mr. Delermain lost." The words created quite a sensation amongst those who were ignorant of what had transpired, and the doctor answered-- "Would it not be better to speak with myself first, Rexworth? Then I can decide whether what you have to communicate should be made public." "I would rather speak here, sir. In fact, I have promised to do so. It only concerns myself, please, sir." "Then you may speak. Be brief and plain, and let us hear what you have to say." So Ralph spoke, turning half to the Head, half to the school; and describing how he had thought that he took his pocket-book with him and how he had found it in his other coat, when he got back that morning; and how, also, the five-pound note had been seen to tumble from it, when it fell on the floor. "I know, sir," he said, in conclusion, "that the thing looks as bad as bad can be, and that if every one here believes me to be a thief, it is only natural; but I can only say, sir, what I have said from the beginning. I am quite innocent. I never saw that banknote from the time when Mr. Delermain laid it on his desk until this morning, when it fell from my pocket-book and Warren picked it up." The doctor listened in silence, his keen eyes fixed upon the face of the lad before him; and Dr. Beverly felt perfectly certain that Ralph Rexworth was speaking the truth. And yet, if that were so, it meant not only that some other boy was a thief, but also that a boy must be deliberately trying to get Rexworth wrongly accused; and that seemed a very dreadful thing in the eyes of the noble, upright master of Marlthorpe. "You say you were under the impression that you took your pocket-book home with you, Rexworth?" he said, when the boy had concluded; and Ralph replied-- "Yes, sir. I can say yes to that, though I suppose that I must be mistaken, seeing that I found it safely in my coat-pocket when I went to the dormitory the first thing this morning." A low murmur went round the school. Some of the boys were evidently convinced that Ralph was guilty, and that he was only striving to screen himself, and their youthful hearts rebelled against such behaviour. "Hiss, hiss!" "Thief, thief!" ran round, and Ralph started as though he had been struck by a whip. The doctor struck his bell sharply, and silence followed. The offenders looked somewhat dismayed at their own audacity.