But the fellow, whoever he was, dropped a knife, which I managed to get from Tom, and which turned out to be one young Wyndham had lost." "Young Wyndham! Then it was true you suspected him ?" "It was true." And then the captain told his companion the story of the complication of misunderstandings which had led him almost to the point of denouncing the boy as the culprit; at the end of which Bloomfield said, in a more friendly tone than he had yet assumed, "It was a shave, certainly.
Young Wyndham ought to be grateful to you.

He'd have found it not so easy to clear himself if you'd reported him at once." "I dare say it would have been hard," said Riddell.
"I'm rather ashamed of myself now for trying to make you do it," said Bloomfield.
"Oh, not at all," said Riddell, dreading as he always did this sort of talk.

"But, I say, what do you think ought to be done ?" "I think we'd better wait, as you say, till they've been to Paddy.

Then if nothing has come out, you ought to see Gilks." "I think so, but I wish you'd be there too.

As captain of the clubs, you've really more to do with it than I have." "You're captain of the school, though," said Bloomfield, "but I'll be there too, if you like." "Thanks," said Riddell.
And the two walked on discussing the situation, and drifting from it into other topics in so natural a way that it occurred to neither of them at the time to wonder how they two, of all boys, should have so much in common.
"I shall be awfully glad when it's all cleared up," said Riddell.
"So shall I.