ors caught napping? The Welchers
would have to be a precious deal more cunning than this if they expected
to score off them.

The footsteps advanced and reached the door. There was a brief pause,
the handle turned, Parson gave the signal, and next moment--Mr Parrett
entered the study!

As he opened the door the jug overhead, true to its mechanism, tilted
forward and launched a deluge of water over the head and shoulders of
the ill-starred master, just as he tripped forward over the string and
fell prone into the apartment, while at the same instant, accompanied by
a loud howl, one sponge, two slippers, and a knotted towel flew into his
face and completed his demolition.

What Mr Parrett's reflections may have been during the few seconds
which immediately followed no one ever found out. But, whatever they
were, it is safe to say they were as nothing compared with the horror
and terror of the youthful malefactors as they looked on and saw what
they had done.

With a cry almost piteous in its agony, they rushed towards him and
lifted him, dripping and bruised as he was, to his feet, gazing at him
with looks of speechless supplication, and feeling crushed with all the
guilt of actual murderers.

It spoke volumes for Mr Parrett's self-control that, instead of sitting
and gaping foolishly at the scene of the disaster, or instead of
suddenly hitting out right and left, as others would have done, he took
out his handkerchief and proceeded quietly to dry his face while he
collected his scattered thoughts.

At length he said, "Are these elaborate preparations usually kept up
here?"

"Oh no, sir!" cried Parson, in tones of misery. "Indeed, sir, we never
expected you. We expected--"

His speech was cut short by a fresh noise outside--this time the real
enemy, who, little guessing what was going on within, halted a moment
outside before commencing proceedings. Then, with a simultaneous war-
whoop, they half-opened the door, and, without entering themselves,
projected into the centre of the room--a bottle! Pilbury and Cusack had
not studied natural science for nothing!

The strange projectile smashed to atoms as it fell, and at the same
instant there arose a stench the like of which the nose of Willoughby
had never known before.

Mr Parrett and the boys choked and made a dash for the door, but the
enemy were hanging on to the handle in full force, and it was at least
two minutes before the almost suffocated Parso