If he had refused to answer, as the Dux had done, and Brown had done, and others were prepared to do, Plummer might have seen that his case was hopeless, and have given it up.
Faulkner was nothing like such a favourite with the head master as Tempest, nor had he such a following among the boys.

Still, he led his party, and if he chose now to leave us in the lurch Plummer was saved and we were lost.
"I know nothing of the matter, sir," said Faulkner, "and I have no reason at all to suspect any one." It sounded a simple answer, but it was rank treason.

For it was as good as saying Plummer had a right to ask these questions, and that he, Faulkner, would inform if he only knew who the culprit was.
After that it was evident the game, the Dux's game and mine, was up.
Boy after boy was called up and interrogated, and one by one they followed Faulkner in his submission.

A few--like Graham junior-- attempted to hold out, but broke down under pressure.

A few feebly compromised by explaining that had they known the culprit they would not have answered; but as they did not they saw no reason for not saying so.
"It comes to this, then," said the doctor: "that out of the entire school, three boys, and three only, are silent.