for evil is quite strong enough without buying a hold
over your companions." He felt in his pockets, and (oh joy!) produced
a florin and fourpence. "Bring me what you call Corkran's note-of-hand,
and be thankful that I do not carry the matter any further. The money
is stopped from your pocket-money, Corkran. The receipt to my study, at
once!"

Little they cared! Two and fourpence in a lump is worth six weekly
sixpences any hungry day of the week.

"But what the dooce is a note-of-hand?" said Beetle. "I only read about
it in a book."

"Now you've jolly well got to make one," said Stalky.

"Yes--but our ink don't turn black till next day. S'pose he'll spot
that?"

"Not him. He's too worried," said McTurk. "Sign your name on a bit of
impot-paper, Stalky, and write, 'I O U two and fourpence.' Aren't
you grateful to me for getting that out of Prout? Stalky'd never have
paid... Why, you ass!"

Mechanically Beetle had handed over the money to Stalky as treasurer of
the study. The custom of years is not lightly broken. In return for
the document, Prout expounded to Beetle the enormity of money-lending,
which, like everything except compulsory cricket, corrupted houses and
destroyed good feeling among boys, made youth cold and calculating,
and opened the door to all evil. Finally, did Beetle know of any
other cases? If so, it was his duty as proof of repentance to let his
house-master know. No names need be mentioned.

Beetle did not know--at least, he was not quite sure, sir. How could he
give evidence against his friends? The house might, of course--here he
feigned an anguished delicacy--be full of it. He was not in a position
to say. He had not met with any open competition in his trade; but if
Mr. Prout considered it was a matter that affected the honor of
the house (Mr. Prout did consider it precisely that), perhaps the
house-prefects would be better...

He spun it out till half-way through prep.

"And," said the amateur Shylock, returning to the form-room and dropping
at Stalky's side, "if he don't think the house is putrid with it, I'm
several Dutch-men--that's all... I've been to Mr. Prout's study, sir."
This to the prep.-master. "He said I could sit where I liked, sir... Oh,
he is just tricklin' with emotion... Yes, sir, I'm only askin' Corkran
to let me have a dip in his ink."

After prayers, on the road to the dormitories, Harrison and Craye,
senior house-prefects, zealous in their office, waylaid them wi