hich turns out
to be the case. After super-human efforts to extract from Game an
assurance that he's getting up that moment, and Parson needn't wait, the
luckless fag returns to find his master snoring like one of the seven
sleepers. The same process has to be repeated. Shouts and shakes, and
an occasional sly pinch, have no effect. Parson is tempted to leave his
graceless lord to his fate, and betake himself to his French verbs; but
a dim surmise as to the consequences prevents him. At last he braces
himself up for one desperate effort. With a mighty tug he snatches the
clothes off the bed, and, dragging with all his might at the arm of the
obstinate hero, yells out, "I say, Bloomfield, it's half-past six, and
you wanted to be up at six. Get up!"

The effect of these combined efforts is that Bloomfield sits up in bed,
rubbing his eyes, and demands, "Half-past six! Why didn't you call me
at six, you young cad, eh?"

"So I did."

"Don't tell crams. If you'd called me at six I should have been up,
shouldn't I?" exclaimed Bloomfield. "I tell you I did call you,"
retorts the fag.

"Look here," says Bloomfield, becoming alarmingly wide-awake, "I don't
want any of your cheek. Go and see if Game's up, and then see if the
boat's ready. The tub-pair, mind; look sharp!"

"Please, Bloomfield," says Parson, meekly, "do you mind if I get Parks
to cox you? I've not looked at my Caesar yet, and I've got eight French
verbs to do besides for Coates."

"Do you hear me? Go and see if Game's up," replies Bloomfield. "If you
choose not to do your work overnight, and get impositions for breaking
rules into the bargain, it's not my lookout, is it?"

"But I only went--" begins the unfortunate Parson.

"I'll went you with the flat of a bat if you don't cut," shouts
Bloomfield. Whereat his fag vanishes.

Game, of course, is fast asleep, but on him Parson has no notion of
bestowing the pains he had devoted to Bloomfield. Finding the sleeper
deaf to all his calls, he adopts the simple expedient of dipping the end
of a towel in water and laying it neatly across the victim's face,
shouting in his ear at the same time, "Game, I say, Bloomfield's waiting
for you down at the boats." Having delivered himself of which, he
retreats rather hastily, and only just in time.

The row up the river that morning was rather pleasant than otherwise.
When once they were awake the morning had its effect on the spirits of
all three boys.