l. Saurin did not run out to pick it up, but
kept quiet, and presently another came out, to see what was the matter
with its friend apparently, for it louped up to the body; and he nailed
that. And he missed two and killed two more, and then the rabbit
community began to suspect there was something wrong, and kept in the
wood. But, returning home, he stalked and shot another in the park,
making a bag of five altogether, which pleased him immensely.

Next day he tried the shot cartridges on blackbirds and sparrows in the
garden, and slaughtered not a few, to the gardener's great delight. It
was not only the efficiency of so toy-like a weapon which pleased
Saurin; the silence and secrecy with which it dealt death had a charm
for him. And so it happened that when the time came for him to return
to Weston, he took the air-gun with him. It went into a very small
compass, and was easily stowed in his portmanteau. He could smuggle it
to Slam's and keep it there, and if he had no chance of using it, he
could still show it off to Edwards and his other intimates, and also to
the perhaps more appreciative eyes of Edwin Marriner and another,
perhaps two other scamps of sporting tastes whom he met at Slam's on
certain afternoons, when they guzzled beer, and smoked, and played
sometimes at bagatelle, sometimes at cards, or tossed for coppers. And
they won his money in a small way, and laughed at his jokes, and took
interest in his bragging stories, and went into ecstasies over his
songs, and really liked and admired him in their fashion. So the
departure of Mr Wobbler did not keep him away, and he went to the yard
as much as ever. If he had won the fight it would probably have made a
difference, and he might have tried once more to compete for influence
and popularity in the school. But now he had quite given up all ideas
of that kind. He spoke to Crawley, and shook his hand with apparent
cordiality when they first met after coming back, because he felt that
it would be ridiculous to show a resentment which he had proved himself
powerless to gratify; but he hated him worse than ever, if possible. If
the breaking up of the boxing-class did not diminish Saurin's visits to
Slam's, it had that effect on the other members of it. Stubbs was
faithful to his dog, and Perry to his hawk, and there were other boys
who had pets there, or who liked to go on a wet day to see ratting, or
the drawing of the badger, an animal who lived i