e mourning over the frailty of
human nature. "About how many horny-handed assistants should you say
that he would be likely to bring? Will you, for instance, join the
glad throng?"

"Me? No fear! I think Spiller's an ass."

"There's nothing like a common thought for binding people together. _I_
think Spiller's an ass."

"How many _will_ there be, then?" asked Mike.

"He might get about half a dozen, not more, because most of the chaps
don't see why they should sweat themselves just because Spiller's study
has been bagged."

"Sturdy common sense," said Psmith approvingly, "seems to be the chief
virtue of the Sedleigh character."

"We shall be able to tackle a crowd like that," said Mike. "The only
thing is we must get into the same dormitory."

"This is where Comrade Jellicoe's knowledge of the local geography will
come in useful. Do you happen to know of any snug little room, with,
say, about four beds in it? How many dormitories are there?"

"Five--there's one with three beds in it, only it belongs to three
chaps."

"I believe in the equal distribution of property. We will go to Comrade
Outwood and stake out another claim."

Mr. Outwood received them even more beamingly than before. "Yes, Smith?"
he said.

"We must apologize for disturbing you, sir--"

"Not at all, Smith, not at all! I like the boys in my house to come to
me when they wish for my advice or help."

"We were wondering, sir, if you would have any objection to Jackson,
Jellicoe and myself sharing the dormitory with the three beds in it. A
very warm friendship ..." explained Psmith, patting the gurgling
Jellicoe kindly on the shoulder, "has sprung up between Jackson,
Jellicoe and myself."

"You make friends easily, Smith. I like to see it--I like to see it."

"And we can have the room, sir?"

"Certainly--certainly! Tell the matron as you go down."

"And now," said Psmith, as they returned to the study, "we may say that
we are in a fairly winning position. A vote of thanks to Comrade
Jellicoe for his valuable assistance."

"You _are_ a chap!" said Jellicoe.

The handle began to revolve again.

"That door," said Psmith, "is getting a perfect incubus! It cuts into
one's leisure cruelly."

This time it was a small boy. "They told me to come up and tell you to
come down," he said.

Psmith looked at him searchingly through his eyeglass.

"Who?"

"The senior day room chaps."

"Spiller?"

"Spiller and Robinson and Stone, and som