He sobbed loudly and bitterly.
Stephen, raising his terror-stricken face, saw that his father's eyes were full of tears.
*****
The fellows talked together in little groups.
One fellow said:
— They were caught near the Hill of Lyons.
— Who caught them?
— Mr Gleeson and the minister. They were on a car. The same fellow added:
— A fellow in the higher line told me.
Fleming asked:
— But why did they run away, tell us?
— I know why, Cecil Thunder said. Because they had fecked cash out of the rector's room.
— Who fecked it?
— Kickham's brother. And they all went shares in it.
— But that was stealing. How could they have done that?
— A fat lot you know about it, Thunder! Wells said. I know why they scut.
— Tell us why.
— I was told not to, Wells said.
— O, go on, Wells, all said. You might tell us. We won't let it out.
Stephen bent forward his head to hear. Wells looked round to see if anyone was coming. Then he said secretly:
— You know the altar wine they keep in the press in the sacristy?
— Yes.
— Well, they drank that and it was found out who did it by the smell. And that's why they ran away, if you want to know.
