Tom Brown's Body

'Do?' said Skene. 'Be your age. What the hell can we do?' He was paler even than usual, and looked dogged. His doughy face was puffy.

'We could say we knew Mr Kay was at that house that night, and was threatening to do someone in.'

'What good would that do? Yes, and where would it land us? Hang it, Conway wasn't murdered at that house! Besides, we don't know anything about the time!'

'I know. But he was found in Spivvy's garden, and we heard what was said about somebody hanging for somebody.'

'Somebody said Mr Wyck's garden, but it wasn't. As a matter of fact, I heard he'd been drowned in the Roman Bath. He wasn't found in Spivvy's garden at all. So you see that lets Spivvy out.'

'Good Lord, of course it doesn't! If Spivvy did it, the last place he'd choose would be his own garden. Don't be a fool.'

'Well, why does everybody say it was Spivvy's garden, then?'

'Because of the blood. I wish we hadn't mentioned murder to Meyrick and Eaves, all the same, though. They'll think we know something. And, after all, we don't, really. We can't be sure that it was the Spiv who said anything, and, anyhow, it was days ago!'

'I don't like it much, though,' said Merrys. 'Say what you like, Spivvy was there when hanging was being talked about, and it was Spivvy's garden where the blood was found – though chaps still say it was the body. I asked Stallard what would happen next, and he said he supposed the police would have to be brought here.'

'They've been here already. Issy saw them. He sees everything. They'll trace our footprints and the marks of Albert-Edward's bike, I suppose,' said Skene gloomily. 'And there's your beastly fountain pen. If anybody finds that – '

'Well, I did say I wanted to find it. It was you that –'

'Well, never mind that. It's a beastly nuisance, anyway.'

'Yes, I know. Perhaps I didn't lose it in that garden, after all, though.'

'That wouldn't matter particularly. Wherever it's found, we're sunk. The police are like bloodhounds. They never let go when they've got their teeth in you.'

'That's bulldogs, you fool. Anyway, let's wait till the pen is found. Better still, let's find it ourselves before the police do. Hang it, we've got the start of them. And, whatever you do, don't you go blabbing your head off. It won't do any good, and it'll mean we'll be sacked for certain. And my father's ill. I don't want to go home and say I'm sacked. It'd be perfectly beastly. Swear you'll keep your mouth shut.'

'That's all very well, and of course I shall. But, hang it all, it was your idea. I say, that cottage was a bit weird, you know. I heard that a witch lives there, and those women who opened the door were sort of queer. Honestly, what do you think we ought to do?'

'Nothing!' said Merrys, too much afraid now to take the risks he had previously advocated. 'It was ages ago, anyway. It couldn't have anything to do with Conway, could it? Do you know what I think? I think that farmer's got something to do with it.'

'What farmer?'

'Why, the one that swore Scrupe had taken one of his cockerels and killed it.'

'Why him? He wouldn't know Conway.'

'Well, Conway sailed into him all right when he went for Scrupe with his cart-whip.'

'I expect he's had his revenge, then.'

'The police will soon find that out. They'll trace his footprints.'

'Do you think footprints would be clear enough, with chaps barging in and out from the gate and all that?'

'There might be blood on his boots.'

'I say, shut up! Look here, let's keep quiet about the cottage. We don't want to get mixed up in things. Murder or no murder, we'd still be sacked if it came out where we'd been. And I don't see why we should tell. It's nothing to do with us, really.'

'As long as Spivvy didn't recognize us we're all right; but the thing is, did he?'

'If only you hadn't been chump enough to wear your school cap and drop your beastly fountain pen!'

'Well, I couldn't help it, you ass!'

'You can be had up for being an accessory, you know,' pursued Skene. 'You can get seven years, I believe.'

'We'll have to chance that. What strikes me is that if we go about blabbing we may find ourselves in Queer Street. A bloke who would murder Conway wouldn't be inclined to stick at us.'

'But you don't honestly think Spivvy did it? Hang it, he wouldn't stand a chance against Conway.'

'Not if Conway knew, but Issy says that Conway didn't know. He was set on and – and finished off, before he knew what was happening. Look here, I'll tell you what! If Spivvy is arrested, we shall know it's all right. But if anybody else is arrested – one of the beaks, I mean – we shall have to tell.'

'You said just now – I thought we agreed –'

'That can't be helped. If somebody got hanged and we hadn't said anything, we'd be murderers ourselves.'

'I wouldn't mind being a murderer. Look at Landru.'

'Well, we'd be just the same as the cads, then. They never stick their necks out.'

'Why should we?'

'Oh, be your age!' said Merrys irritably, already again beginning to regret his unusual lapse into chivalry. 'We've jolly well got to, that's all. Besides' – his face brightened – 'don't you see? Spivvy won't split on us.'

'No, but what about him murdering us?'

'We can't keep on going over that. Are we going to say anything or aren't we?'

'Let's see what happens,' said Skene. Rumours and counter-rumours continued to infest the School. They were not resolved into truth and falsehood until after the report of the inquest, but this was not yet. Mr Kay began to shun his fellow men, and, after dark, he crept down to Mrs Harries's cottage again.

6. Policemen's Feet on Ida

*

Murder is as fashionable a Crime as a Man can be guilty of.

IBID. (Act 1, Scene 4)

'WELL,' said Mr Preedy, the School bursar, 'the police will be here again this afternoon.' He was addressing Mr Reeder and Mr Semple, who had waylaid him on the way out from lunch.

'It was odd about that boy Scrupe,' said Mr Loveday, who had overheard the remark.

'I don't see that at all,' said Mr Mayhew, who was with him; and he launched into a lengthy defence of Scrupe which no one heeded.

'I hope that the police will soon turn their attention from the scene of the crime to the home of its perpetrator,' said the Bursar. 'Not enough is being done by them, in my opinion. Not that I – or, I imagine, any of us – can give them any further information. I'm afraid the whole thing is going to be muddy, very muddy. So bad for the School. And I do not see what Mr Wyck is going to say to the boys, yet something must be said to them. That is clear. We can't have them spreading unhealthy rumours. Why, one boy even thought the body had been found in the Headmaster's garden instead of in that of Mr Kay!'

'The whole thing is a damned nuisance,' said Cranleigh, captain of football, to his cronies Keithstone and Murray. 'Just on the eve of the Helston match, of all senseless times to choose for a first-class stink! I suppose the old man will make me scratch, as Conway took some of the games.'

This, however, was the last thought in Mr Wyck's worried mind. Much better, he thought, particularly as it was an away match, to let the School go over to Helston and enjoy themselves. The motor coaches had already been ordered, and the best thing the School could do was to pile into them, get away from a morbid atmosphere for