‘Then you did not give him the letter?’

’No.  I wouldn’t after the way he pitched into me.  I didn’t know if he would give it.  And he wouldn’t hear a word, so we went up to Rockstone to the house.’

‘Whom did you give it to there?’

‘I dropped it into the slit in the door.’

‘You only told your sister that you delivered it.’

’Yes, sir.  Theodore said I must not tell sister; it would only vex her more to hear how every one pitches into us, right and left,’ he said, with trembling lip.

‘Is Theodore your next brother?’

‘Yes sir.’

‘Was he with you?’

‘No; it was Sydney Grove.’

‘Is he here?  Or—–­Did any one else see you leave the letter?’

’Mr. Stebbing’s son—–­the young one, George, was in the drive and slanged us for not going to the back door.’

’That is important.  Thank you, my boy.  Give my—–­my compliments to your master, and ask him to be kind enough to spare this Sydney Grove to me for a few moments.’

This proved to be an amphibious-looking boy, older and rougher than Petros, and evidently his friend and champion.  He was much less shy, and spoke out boldly, saying how he had gone with little Peter, and the porter had rowed them downright shameful, but it was nothing to that there young Stebbing ordering them out of the grounds for a couple of beastly cads, after no good.  He (Grove) had a good mind to ha’ give ’un a good warming, only ’twas school time, and they was late as it was.  Everybody was down upon the Whites, and it was a shame when they hadn’t done nothing, and he didn’t see as they was stuck up, not he.

Sir Jasper made a note of Master Grove’s residence, and requested an interview with the master, from whom he obtained an excellent character of both the Whites, especially Theodore.  The master lamented that this affair of their brother should have given a handle against them, for he wanted the services of the elder one as a monitor, eventually as a pupil-teacher, but did not know whether the choice would be advisable under the present circumstances.  The boys’ superiority made them unpopular, and excited jealousy among a certain set, though they were perfectly inoffensive, and they had much to go through in consequence of the suspicion that had fallen on their brother.  Petros and Sydney should have leave from school whenever their testimony was wanted.

As Sir Jasper walked down the street, his elder sister-in-law emerged from a tamarisk-flanked gateway.  ‘This is our new abode, Jasper,’ she said.  ’Come in and see what you think of it!  Well, have you had any success?’

He explained how the letter could be traced to Mr. Stebbing’s house, and then consulted her whether to let all come out at the examination before the magistrates, or to induce the Stebbings to drop the prosecution.

‘It would serve them right if it all came out in public,’ she said.