Not his, this time, but the joint performance of the other occupants of the room, who, sitting up with their chins on their knees, half petrified by the horror of the first shriek, now gave themselves up for lost when the door broke open in the dark, and a gasping something staggered into the room.
"There's some--bo--dy been mur--dered," gasped Simson, "in the bo--ot- box!" Everybody was on his feet in a moment.
"Murdered ?" "Yes," said Simson, wonderfully comforted by the noise and general panic.

"I got up early, you know, to have a grind on the track, and went to get my boots, and--I--I fell over it!" "Over what ?" "The bo--od--y," whispered Simson.
"Has anybody got a light ?" shouted Arthur.
But at that moment a light appeared at the door, and Ainger came in.
"What's all this row--what's the matter ?" "Simson says somebody's been murdered in the boot-box," replied Arthur.
"I say, hadn't we better go and see ?" It was a practical suggestion.

The corridor was already full of half- dressed inquirers, and a moment later Mr Railsford's door opened.

The story was repeated to him.
"Come with me, Ainger," said he, quietly; "the rest of you return to your dormitories, and remain there." Arthur, seized by a noble desire not to leave his future kinsman unprotected in such an hour of peril, elected to disregard this last order, and, accompanied by his henchman, followed the candle at a respectful distance down the stairs.
"There's no blood on the stairs," observed the baronet, in a whisper.
"They've left the key in the door," muttered Arthur.
"Hold the light," said Railsford, turning the key, and entering.
Prostrate on the ground, bound hand and foot, and enveloped down to the waist in a sack, lay the figure of a man, motionless, but certainly not dead, for sounds proceeded from the depths of the canvas.

In a moment Railsford had knelt and cut the cords round the prisoner's feet and hands, while Ainger drew the sack from the head.
Arthur gave a whistle of consternation as the features of Mr Bickers came to light, pale and stern.