“Very well, sir.  Mrs. Careful, you may retire.”

“And must I have no amends, my lord?”

“Have patience; leave everything to the court.  We shall do you all the justice in our power.”

As soon as the widow was gone the Judge rose from his seat, and with much solemnity thus addressed the assembly: 

“Gentlemen, this business, I confess, gives me much dissatisfaction.  A poor woman has been insulted and injured in her property, apparently without provocation, and although she has not been able to convict the offender, it cannot be doubted that she, as well as the world in general, will impute the crime to some of our society.  Though I am in my own mind convinced that in her passion she charged an innocent person, yet the circumstance of the top is a strong suspicion—­indeed, almost a proof—­that the perpetrator of this unmanly mischief was one of our body.

“The owner of the top has justly observed that its having been his property is no certain proof against him.

“Since, therefore, in the present defect of evidence the whole school must remain burdened with both the discredit of this action and share in the guilt of it, I think fit, in the first place, to decree that restitution shall be made to the sufferer out of the public chest, and, next, that a Court of Inquiry be instituted for the express purpose of searching thoroughly into the affair, with the power to examine all persons upon honor who are thought likely to be able to throw light upon it.  I hope, gentlemen, these measures meet with your concurrence.”

The whole court bowed to the Judge, and expressed their entire satisfaction with his determination.

It was then ordered that the Public Treasurer should go to the Widow Careful’s house, and pay her a sum of one shilling, making at the same time a handsome apology in the name of the school; and six persons were taken by lot of the jury to compose the Court of Inquiry, which was to sit in the evening.

The Court then adjourned.

On the meeting of the Court of Inquiry the first thing proposed by the President was that the persons who usually played with Master Riot should be sent for.  Accordingly Tom Frisk and Bob Loiter were summoned, when the President asked them upon their honor if they knew the top to have been Riot’s.

They said they did.  They were then asked if they remembered when Riot had it in his possession.

“He had it,” said Frisk, “the day before yesterday, and split a top of mine with it.”

“Yes,” said Loiter, “and then as he was making a stroke at mine the peg flew out.”

“What did he do with it?”

“He put it into his pocket, and said as it was a strong top he would have it mended.”

“Then he did not throw it away, or give it to any one?”

“Yes; a day or two before he went to the Widow Careful’s shop for some gingerbread; but as he already owed her sixpence, she would not let him have any till he had paid his debts.”