"What for, Mr. Hathorn?"

"They used to accuse her of upsetting the ink bottles when they
did it themselves."

"You did not believe their statements, I suppose?"

"Not at all."

"You caned them just the same as if they had done it themselves.
At least I am told so."

"Of course I caned them, especially as I knew that they were telling
a lie."

"But if it was a lie, Mr. Hathorn, if this cat did not upset their
ink, why on earth should these boys have a grudge against her and
murder her?"

The schoolmaster was silent.

"Now I want an answer, sir. You are punishing thirty boys in
addition to the sixteen daily canings divided among them; you have
cut off all their play time, and kept them at work from the time
they rise to the time they go to bed. As you see, according to your
own statement, they could have had no grudge against the cat, how
are you sure they murdered her?"

"I am quite sure." Mr. Hathorn said doggedly. "Boys have always a
spite against cats."