g about it being a good
thing for us to get the captain of the school as head of our house."

"Oh, ah--a jolly good thing," said Pilbury; "jolly lookout for us if
he's stuck here to pull us up whenever we have a lark."

"Bless you, _he_ can't pull a fellow up!" said somebody. "They said he
used to now and then in the schoolhouse."

"Not he. He's afraid to look at a chap."

"I say," said Cusack, "rather a spree to fetch him, eh, you fellows, and
see how he does. Eh?"

"I'm game," said Pilbury; "what shall we do? Smash in his study-door?"

"Oh, no," said Cusack, "no use doing that. Let's give him `Bouncer' to
start with."

"That ought to startle him up," said Philpot, laughing, "if he's not
used to it."

"Rather--open the door a bit, Morgan. Now, you fellows, are you all
game? All together."

And with that the party struck up at the top of their voices the famous
old Willoughby chorus, of which the first verse runs as follows:

"Oh, Bouncer was a Willoughby chap, sir,
Bouncer! Bouncer! Bouncer!
Upon his head he wore his cap, sir,
Bouncer! Bouncer! Bouncer!
Below his cap he wore his head,
His eyes were black and his hair was red,
And he carried his bat for a cool _hundred_,
Bouncer! Bouncer! Bouncer!"

This poetic record of the virtues and accomplishments of their legendary
school hero gave ample scope, as the reader may surmise, for spirited
declamation; and on the present occasion more Welchers than Riddell were
startled by the sudden and vehement outburst of the patriotic hymn.
Indeed, as it appeared to be a point of honour with the vocalists to
pitch no two voices in the same key, the effect was even alarming, and
suggested the sudden letting loose of a menagerie.

The singers waited meekly for a few seconds to see whether their efforts
had met with the success they deserved. But as a dead silence reigned,
and no one came, they considerately determined to give their audience
another chance; and therefore launched forthwith into the second verse,
which was delivered with even more dramatic power than the first:

"Old Bouncer stood six foot and an inch, sir,
Bouncer! Bouncer! Bouncer!
And four foot round his chest was a pinch, sir,
Bouncer! Bouncer! Bouncer!
Twelve stone two was his fighting weight,
And he stroked our boat for the champion plate,
And ran his mile in four thirty-eight,
Bouncer! Bouncer! Bouncer!"

This time the heroic efforts of th