Acting on the doctor's suggestion, the frustrated officers turn their attention to Brittles. Nothing emerges from his garbled story except Brittles's firm belief that he could not possibly identify the boy.
It is not even certain that Giles had actually hit anyone. He'd had a pair of pistols at the time of the botched robbery. One of these had, of course, shot Oliver. The other pistol is found to have no bullet in it, a development that makes a deep impression on everyone except the doctor, "who had drawn the ball [bullet] about ten minutes before."
The investigators from London retire for the night. After some more indecisive activity the following day, they return to the city.
Mrs. Maylie and Mr. Losberne post bail for Oliver's appearance if he should ever be wanted. Under the care of his three new friends, the boy once more begins to mend.
