curse!" said Beetle uneasily. It was not his first season as a
sacrifice. "Can't you get on without me?"

"'Fraid not, Beetle, dear. You've got to be bullied by Turkey an' me.
The more you howl, o' course, the better it'll be. Turkey, go an'
covet a stump and a box-rope from somewhere. We'll tie him up for a
kill--_a' la_ Galton. 'Member when 'Molly' Fairburn made us cock-fight
with our shoes off, an' tied up our knees?"

"But that hurt like sin."

"Course it did. What a clever chap you are, Beetle! Turkey'll knock
you all over the place. 'Member we've had a big row all round, an' I've
trapped you into doin' this. Lend us your wipe." Beetle was trussed for
cock-fighting; but, in addition to the transverse stump between elbow
and knee, His knees were bound with a box-rope. In this posture, at a
push from Stalky he rolled over sideways, covering himself with dust.

"Ruffle his hair, Turkey. Now you get down, too. 'The bleatin' of the
kid excites the tiger.' You two are in such a sweatin' wax with me that
you only curse. 'Member that. I'll tickle you up with a stump. You'll
have to blub, Beetle."

"Right O! I'll work up to it in half a shake," said Beetle.

"Now begin--and remember the bleatin' o' the kid."

"Shut up, you brutes! Let me up! You've nearly cut my knees off. Oh, you
_are_ beastly cads! _Do_ shut up. 'Tisn't a joke!" Beetle's protest was,
in tone, a work of art.

"Give it to him, Turkey! Kick him! Roll him over! Kill him! Don't funk,
Beetle, you brute. Kick him again, Turkey."

"He's not blubbin' really. Roll up, Beetle, or I'll kick you into the
fender," roared McTurk. They made a hideous noise among them, and the
bait allured their quarry.

"Hullo! What's the giddy jest?" Sefton and Campbell entered to find
Beetle on his side, his head against the fender, weeping copiously,
while McTurk prodded him in the back with his toes.

"It's only Beetle," Stalky explained. "He's shammin' hurt. I can't get
Turkey to go for him properly." Sefton promptly kicked both boys, and
his face lighted. "All right, I'll attend to 'em. Get up an' cock-fight,
you two. Give me the stump. I'll tickle 'em. Here's a giddy jest! Come
on, Campbell. Let's cook 'em."

Then McTurk turned on Stalky and called him very evil names.

"You said you were goin' to cock-fight too, Stalky. Come on!"

"More ass you for believin' me, then!" shrieked Stalky.

"Have you chaps had a row?" said Campbell. "Row?" said Stalky. "Huh! I'm
onl