e them. He had a big imposition
for the Chief. You dirty dog, Hunter. May I kick him, sir?"

"No; sit down, Fletcher."

The lines were never done.

One day Collins was put on to construe. Of course he had made no attempt
to prepare it. This was at once evident.

"Collins, have you prepared this?"

"No, sir."

"But why not?"

Collins had seen _Charley's Aunt_ in the holidays. "Ah, why?" was his
laconic answer.

Trundle foamed with wrath. He snatched a cane from under his desk and
advanced on Collins. The prospective victim leapt back and pointed at
him with theatrical calm: "Look, he is coming at me with cane in hand.
Ha! he comes! he comes! see how he comes."

Trundle launched a fierce blow at Collins, and only narrowly missed
Benson's eyes. Collins delivered a short lecture on the danger of losing
one's temper. Trundle returned to his desk.

As the term went on the ragging became more elaborate. At first the set
was content with giving a sort of low comedian, knockabout performance.
But they soon wearied of such things. After all, they were real
artistes. And Archie Fletcher could not bear being ordinary. But still
there was a good deal of sport to be got out of quite common place
manoeuvres. The introduction of electric snuff, for instance, may not
be very original; but it was remarkably successful.

Trundle had a habit of leaving his mark-book in his desk, and Lovelace
had a key that fitted it. The rest was simple. During evening hall
Hunter and Lovelace got leave to fetch a book from their class-room.
There was no one about. In five minutes Trundle's mark-book was filled
with snuff. Next morning the set assembled. Forbes was asleep, Benson
was furtively looking up a word in his dictionary, the School House
contingent was uncommonly quiet.

"Well," said Trundle, "who shall we start off with this morning? Let me
see, ah!" he opened his mark-book.

The roar of laughter was heard the other side of the court. For a full
three minutes Trundle was utterly, gorgeously prostrate with coughing
and sneezing.

Mansell was very sympathetic.

"Have you a cold, sir? I hope it's nothing serious, sir. I find the east
wind a little trying myself. Do you ever use Fletcher's cough lozenges?
Very efficacious, sir," he babbled on.

At last Trundle recovered his wind if not his temper. He glowered at the
form.

"Fletcher, translate, please."

Fletcher began. But he did not get very far. Hunter let loose another
w