I know the dons there, and--" "Well, I'll tell you," said the doctor, drawing a long breath.

"I hadn't meant to.

I know it's mere nonsense; but--" He stopped an instant and called aloud: "Thomas! Thomas!" Thomas's lean head, like a bird's, popped out from a window in the kitchen court behind.
"Come here a minute." Thomas came and stood before them with a piece of wash-leather in one hand and a plated table-spoon in the other.
"I want you to tell this young gentleman," said the doctor deliberately, "what you told me on Wednesday morning." Thomas looked doubtfully from one to the other.
"It was my fancy, sir," he said.
"Never mind about that.

Tell us both." "Well, sir, I didn't like it.

Seemed to me when I looked in--" ("He looked in on us in the middle of the night," explained the doctor.
"Yes, go on, Thomas.") "Seemed to me there was something queer." "Yes ?" said the doctor encouragingly.
"Something queer," repeated Thomas musingly....