to get
amongst the Fifth bounders. It's that keeps me back. I could have got up
in the Fourth at last exam., only I said to myself: 'No; it takes me one
form nearer the Fifth bounders.'" He paused for a moment, then added:
"All the same, I would like to know what they're going to gas about in
the Forum. P'r'aps it's about us--p'r'aps they mean sitting on us a lot
more than they do now."

"P'r'aps!" repeated Sedgeley and Baldry reflectively.

"I--I've a good mind to try. Why should the Fifth have it all to
themselves? If--if I could only steal a march on them!"

"If you only could, Freddy!" remarked Sedgeley encouragingly.

For the next few minutes there was some whispering together, and the end
of it was that Plunger and his companions strolled in the same direction
as that Harry Moncrief had strolled in a quarter of an hour or so
before.

On arriving at the shed, they reconnoitred around it, uncertain as to
whether or not anybody was within.

Sedgeley happened by chance to look through--or tried to look
through--the window on which Harry had left a specimen of his handiwork.

His attention was at once arrested. He regarded the face seriously for a
moment; then he broke into a shout of laughter.

"What are you playing the silly goat for?" demanded Plunger wrathfully
from somewhere in the rear of the shed.

"Come here, Baldry, Bember, Viner!" exclaimed Sedgeley, vainly
endeavouring to stifle his laughter.

The three came hurrying up, followed by Plunger, in a violent state of
agitation.

"You'll spoil all, you braying ass, you laughing hyena, you giddy----"

Then he paused, as Baldry, Bember, and Viner, after a glance at the
pane, burst into laughter also. "What is it, you laughing
lunatics--what----"

Plunger said no more. His jaw dropped, as, following their gaze, he
gazed in turn on the window-pane.

"Jolly good likeness, isn't it, Baldry?" Sedgeley at length managed to
remark.

"My!" cried Baldry, with his hand on his side, as though he'd got a
stitch in it. "Hold me up!"

"I--I don't see what there's to laugh at," Plunger at length remarked,
with a face as red as a turkey-cock's.

"What, don't you see it, Freddy?"

"See what?"

"The likeness--oh, my side! Don't you know that nose--that hair. I
should know 'em anywhere."

Now, Plunger had a very characteristic nose--it was a combative nose,
and a decided pug. So was the nose on the window-pane. Plunger's hair,
too, was peculiar to Plunger.