Giles has suppressed the information that the victim of his bullet is a young boy, and neither of the ladies has seen the housebreaker. The doctor thinks that they ought to go with him to see the patient, and the old lady consents.
What the ladies behold in the bed is "a mere child: worn with pain and exhaustion, and sunk into a deep sleep." They are incredulous, and Rose sheds tears of pity. The young woman pleads for Oliver, and her aunt declares that she intends to take the suffering boy under her protection.
Mrs. Maylie appeals to the doctor for counsel. He volunteers to get cooperation from Giles and Brittles. Mr. Losberne expects Oliver to awaken in about an hour and proposes to question him in the presence of the ladies. He insists that if it becomes evident that Oliver is in fact "a real and thorough bad one," he will refrain from further efforts to help the boy. The ladies agree to this reservation.
It is evening before Oliver revives. Since the boy is anxious to talk, the doctor recommends that it is all right for Mr. Losberne to interview him then. Accordingly, the boy tells his protectors the story of his unhappy life. That night he sleeps calmly.
The doctor goes to the kitchen, where he finds the local constable with the household staff. Mr. Losberne challenges Giles and Brittles to identify positively the wounded boy as the one whom they saw during the night's fracas. The ruse has its calculated effect of confusing the two men. Just then the Bow Street runners (plain-clothed police detectives) arrive; they had been sent for in the morning by Giles and Brittles.
