ey dashed
to their study, in less than two minutes had changed into dry trousers
and coat, and, ostentatiously slippered, joined the mob in the
dining-hall, which resembled the storm-centre of a South American
revolution.

"'Hellish dark and smells of cheese.'" Stalky elbowed his way into
the press, howling lustily for gas. "Cokey must have gone for a walk.
Foxy'll have to find him."

Prout, as the nearest house-master, was trying to restore order, for
rude boys were flicking butter-pats across chaos, and McTurk had turned
on the fags' tea-urn, so that many were parboiled and wept with an
unfeigned dolor. The Fourth and Upper Third broke into the school song,
the "Vive la Compagnie," to the accompaniment of drumming knife-handles;
and the junior forms shrilled bat-like shrieks and raided one another's
victuals. Two hundred and fifty boys in high condition, seeking for more
light, are truly earnest inquirers.

When a most vile smell of gas told them that supplies had been renewed,
Stalky, waistcoat unbuttoned, sat gorgedly over what might have been
his fourth cup of tea. "And that's all right," he said. "Hullo! 'Ere's
Pomponius Ego!"

It was Carson, the head of the school, a simple, straight-minded soul,
and a pillar of the First Fifteen, who crossed over from the prefects'
table and in a husky, official voice invited the three to attend in his
study in half an hour. "Prefects' meetin'! Prefects' meetin'!" hissed
the tables, and they imitated barbarically the actions and effects of
the ground-ash.

"How are we goin' to jest with 'em?" said Stalky, turning half-face to
Beetle. "It's your play this time!"

"Look here," was the answer, "all I want you to do is not to laugh. I'm
goin' to take charge o' young Tulke's immorality--_a' la_ King, and it's
goin' to be serious. If you can't help laughin' don't look at me, or
I'll go pop."

"I see. All right," said Stalky.

McTurk's lank frame stiffened in every muscle and his eyelids dropped
half over his eyes. That last was a war-signal.

The eight or nine seniors, their faces very set and sober, were ranged
in chairs round Carson's severely Philistine study. Tulke was not
popular among them, and a few who had had experience of Stalky and
Company doubted that he might, perhaps, have made an ass of himself. But
the dignity of the Sixth was to be upheld. So Carson began hurriedly:
"Look here, you chaps, I've--we've sent for you to tell you you're a
good deal too cheeky