Downing at once. I tried to
find Mr. Downing, but he wasn't in the house. Then I met Smith outside
the house, and he told me that Mr. Downing had gone over to see
you, sir."
"Smith told you?" said Mr. Downing.
"Yes, sir."
"Did you say anything to him about your having received this letter from
Dunster?"
"I gave him the letter to read, sir."
"And what was his attitude when he had read it?"
"He laughed, sir."
"_Laughed_!" Mr. Downing's voice was thunderous.
"Yes, sir. He rolled about."
Mr. Downing snorted.
"But Adair," said the headmaster, "I do not understand how this thing
could have been done by Dunster. He has left the school."
"He was down here for the Old Sedleighans' match, sir. He stopped the
night in the village."
"And that was the night the--it happened?"
"Yes, sir."
"I see. Well, I am glad to find that the blame can not be attached to
any boy in the school. I am sorry that it is even an Old Boy. It was a
foolish, discreditable thing to have done, but it is not as bad as if
any boy still at the school had broken out of his house at night to
do it."
"The sergeant," said Mr. Downing, "told me that the boy he saw was
attempting to enter Mr.
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