proper person to apply to for leave; you know that well
enough," said Mr. Blinkhorn, with a certain coldness in his tone. "Now
then, Porter, what is all this business about?"

"Please, sir," said Porter, "he told me last term he had a lot of
rabbits at home, and if I liked he would bring me back a lop-eared one
and let me have it cheap, and I gave him two shillings, sir, and
sixpence for a hutch to keep it in; and now he pretends he doesn't know
anything about it!"

To Paul's horror two or three other boys came forward with much the same
tale. He remembered now that during the holidays he had discovered that
Dick was maintaining a sort of amateur menagerie in his bedroom, and
that he had ordered the whole of the livestock to be got rid of or
summarily destroyed.

Now it seemed that the wretched Dick had already disposed of it to these
clamorous boys, and, what was worse, had stipulated with considerable
forethought for payment in advance. For the first time he repented his
paternal harshness. Like the netted lion, a paltry white mouse or two
would have set him free; but, less happy than the beast in the fable, he
had not one!

He tried to stammer out excuses. "It's extremely unfortunate," he said,
"but the fact is I'm not in a position to meet this--this sudden call
upon me. Some other day, perhaps----"

"None of your long words, now," growled Tipping. (Boys hate long words
as much as even a Saturday Reviewer.) "Why haven't you brought the
rabbits?"

"Yes," said Mr. Blinkhorn. "Why, having promised to bring the rabbits
with you, haven't you kept your word? You must be able to give some
explanation."

"Because," said Mr. Bultitude, wriggling with embarrassment, "I--that is
my father--found out that my young rascal of a son--I mean his young
rascal of a son (_me_, you know) was, contrary to my express orders,
keeping a couple of abominable rabbits in his bedroom, and a quantity of
filthy little white mice which he tried to train to climb up the
banisters. And I kept finding the brutes running about my bath-room,
and--well, of course, I put a stop to it; and--no, what am I saying?--my
father, of course, he put a stop to it; and, in point of fact, had them
all drowned in a pail of water."

It might be thought that he had an excellent opportunity here of avowing
himself, but there was the risk that Mr. Blinkhorn would disbelieve him,
and, with the boys, he felt that the truth would do anything but
increase his pop