idn't think you had
this much--what's the word, Beetle?"

"Bowels," Beetle replied, promptly. "Thank you, Sergeant. That's young
Carter's potted ham, though."

"There was a C on it. I thought it was Mr. Corkran's. This is a very
serious business, young gentlemen. That's what it is. I didn't know,
perhaps, but there might be something on your side which you hadn't said
to Mr. King or Mr. Prout, maybe."

"There is. Heaps, Foxibus." This from Stalky through a full mouth.

"Then you see, if that was the case, it seemed to me I might represent
it, quiet so to say, to the 'Ead when he asks me about it. I've got to
take 'im the charges to-night, an'--it looks bad on the face of it."

"'Trocious bad, Foxy. Twenty-seven cuts in the Gym before all the
school, and public expulsion. 'Wine is a mocker, strong drink is
ragin','" quoth Beetle.

"It's nothin' to make fun of, young gentlemen. I 'ave to go to the 'Ead
with the charges. An'--an' you mayn't be aware, per'aps, that I was
followin' you this afternoon; havin' my suspicions."

"Did ye see the notice-boards?" croaked McTurk, in the very brogue of
Colonel Dabney.

"Ye've eyes in your head. Don't attempt to deny it. Ye did!" said
Beetle.

"A sergeant! To run about poachin' on your pension! Damnable, O
damnable!" said Stalky, without pity.

"Good Lord!" said the Sergeant, sitting heavily upon a bed.
"Where--where the devil _was_ you? I might ha' known it was a
do--somewhere."

"Oh, you clever maniac!" Stalky resumed. "We mayn't be aware you were
followin' us this afternoon, mayn't we? 'Thought you were stalkin' us,
eh? Why, we led you bung into it, of course. Colonel Dabney--don't
you think he's a nice man, Foxy?--Colonel Dabney's our pet particular
friend. We've been goin' there for weeks and weeks, he invited us.
You and your duty! Curse your duty, sir! Your duty was to keep off his
covers."

"You'll never be able to hold up your head again, Foxy. The fags 'll
hoot at you," said Beetle.

"Think of your giddy prestige!" The Sergeant was thinking--hard.

"Look 'ere, young gentlemen," he said, earnestly. "You aren't surely
ever goin' to tell, are you? Wasn't Mr. Prout and Mr. King in--in it
too?"

"Foxibusculus, they _was_. They was--singular horrid. Caught it worse
than you. We heard every word of it. You got off easy, considerin'. If
I'd been Dabney I swear I'd ha' quodded you. I think I'll suggest it to
him to-morrow."

"An' it's all goin' up to the 'Ead.