"That's a somewhat extraordinary, not to say an ambiguous, reply," said the Doctor; "what am I to understand by----" There was a tap at the door. Paul started to his feet in a panic. "Don't let him in!" he shrieked, finding his voice at last. "Hear me first--you shall hear me first! Say that other rascal is not to come in. He wants to ruin me!" "I was going to say I was engaged," said the Doctor; "but there's something under this I must understand. Come in, whoever you are." And the door opened softly, and Chawner stepped meekly in; he was rather pale and breathed hard, but was otherwise quite composed. "Now, then, Chawner," said the Doctor impatiently, "what is it? Have you something on your mind, too?" "Please, sir," said Chawner, "has Bultitude told you anything yet?" "No, why? Hold your tongue, Bultitude. I shall hear Chawner now--not you!" "Because, sir," explained Chawner, "he knew I had made up my mind to tell you something I thought you ought to know about him, and so he threatened to come first and tell some falsehood (I'm sure I don't know what) about me, sir. I think I ought to be here too." "It's a lie!" shouted Paul, "What a villain that boy is! Don't believe a word he says, Dr. Grimstone; it's all false--all!" "This is very suspicious," said the Doctor; "if your conscience were good, Bultitude, you could have no object in preventing me from hearing Chawner. Chawner, in spite of some obvious defects in his character," he went on, with a gulp (he never could quite overcome a repulsion to the boy), "is, on the whole, a right-minded and, ah, conscientious boy. I hear Chawner first." "Then, sir, if you please," said Chawner, with an odious side smirk of triumph at Paul, who, quite crushed by the horror of the situation, had collapsed feebly on his chair again, "I thought it was my duty to let you see this. I found it to-day in Bultitude's prayerbook, sir." And he handed Dick's unlucky scrawl to the Doctor, who took it to the lamp and read it hurriedly through. After that there was a terrible moment of dead silence; then the Doctor looked up and said shortly, "You did well to tell me of this, Chawner; you may go now."