guard Flashman, who
never speaks to one without a kick or an oath--"

"The cowardly brute," broke in East, "how I hate him! And he knows it
too--he knows that you and I think him a coward. What a bore that he's
got a study in this passage! Don't you hear them now at supper in his
den? Brandy punch going, I'll bet. I wish the Doctor would come out
and catch him. We must change our study as soon as we can."

"Change or no change, I'll never fag for him again," said Tom,
thumping the table.

THE EXPLOSION.

"Fa-a-a-ag!" sounded along the passage from Flashman's study. The two
boys looked at one another in silence. It had struck nine, so the
regular night fags had left duty, and they were the nearest to the
supper-party. East sat up, and began to look comical, as he always did
under difficulties.

"Fa-a-a-ag!" again. No answer.

"Here, Brown! East! you cursed young skulks," roared out Flashman,
coming to his open door, "I know you are in--no shirking."

Tom stole to their door, and drew the bolts as noiselessly as he
could; East blew out the candle. "Barricade the first," whispered he.
"Now, Tom, mind, no surrender."

"Trust me for that," said Tom, between his teeth.

THE SIEGE.

In another minute they heard the supper-party turn out and come down
the passage to their door. They held their breath, and heard
whispering, of which they only made out Flashman's words, "I know the
young brutes are in."

Then came summonses to open, which being unanswered, the assault
commenced; luckily the door was a good strong oak one, and resisted
the united weight of Flashman's party. A pause followed, and they
heard a besieger remark, "They are in safe enough--don't you see how
the door holds at top and bottom? so the bolts must be drawn. We
should have forced the lock long ago." East gave Tom a nudge, to call
attention to this scientific remark.

Then came attacks on particular panels, one of which at last gave way
to the repeated kicks; but it broke inward, and the broken pieces got
jammed across, the door being lined with green baize, and couldn't
easily be removed from outside; and the besieged, scorning further
concealment, strengthened their defences by pressing the end of their
sofa against the door. So, after one or two more ineffectual efforts,
Flashman & Co. retired, vowing vengeance in no mild terms.

The first danger over, it only remained for the besieged to effect a
safe retreat, as it was now near bed-ti