o obey the summons from the "Mystic
Brethren," they knew not what would be the penalty. The more they looked
at the letters, with their grotesque design, the more imposing they
seemed.

"What's to be done, Freddy?" asked Harry, when they were outside the
shop.

"We shall have to go, I suppose!" answered Plunger despondently. "We've
given ourselves away, you see. We're one of them--one of the wretched
Beetles. We've taken the vow of allegiance. They've got us in a tight
corner."

"What's the 'realms of Creepy-crawly, Shivery-shaky' I wonder?" asked
Harry, in an equally dejected tone.

"Some ditch with plenty of toads and slime about it, I expect. You
needn't be anxious. We'll know soon enough!" groaned Plunger. "I wish to
goodness you'd been anywhere before you let me in for this mess! Why did
they ever let you loose from Gaffer Quelch's?"

"Oh, shut up, Plunger! You're tiring! After all, you wouldn't make such
a bad Beetle. You can crawl a lot better than you can punt, and----Oh,
oh!"

Plunger had caught him by the ear and given it a vigorous pull. Harry
returned it by kicking Plunger on the shins. Having thus equalised
matters, they became once more on friendly terms.

"Look here, Harry, we're both in the same boat. Supposing we don't go?"

"Then what'll happen?"

"I don't know. We shall have to chance that. They can't eat us."

"Oh, but I'm not afraid! It's not that; but--but I don't somehow like
breaking my word."

"Neither do I. It's jolly awkward; yet, come to think of it, I don't see
why we shouldn't."

"We promised to be true to the cause."

"Yes; but the promise was got from us by force, and that isn't binding.
I've heard my pater say so."

"Oh, he's in the glue line, and ought to know what's binding! Stop it,
Plunger!"--as Plunger seized him once more by the ear. "That's the worst
of you. You don't know a compliment when you hear one. Don't I wish my
pater was in the glue line! It's fine stuff. Made out of horses' hoofs,
isn't it? Well, go on. Not binding, you said. How do you make that out?"

"Haven't I said, stupid--because it was got from us by force? But don't
take my word for it. Let's ask your cousin. Will that satisfy you?"

Harry at once consented. He still had the highest admiration for his
cousin, notwithstanding the fact that he had been defeated by a Beetle.
They returned to the school, where they were not long in finding
Stanley, who had just been joined by Newall.

"We want