boys turned out of their study. The known
aloofness of the three made them more interesting.

"Quite like old times, ain't it?" Stalky selected a locker and flung in
his books. "We've come to sport with you, my young friends, for a while,
because our beloved house-master has hove us out of our diggin's."

"'Serve you jolly well right," said Orrin, "you cribbers!"

"This will never do," said Stalky. "We can't maintain our giddy
prestige, Orrin, de-ah, if you make these remarks."

They wrapped themselves lovingly about the boy, thrust him to the opened
window, and drew down the sash to the nape of his neck. With an equal
swiftness they tied his thumbs together behind his back with a piece of
twine, and then, because he kicked furiously, removed his shoes. There
Mr. Prout happened to find him a few minutes later, guillotined and
helpless, surrounded by a convulsed crowd who would not assist.

Stalky, in an upper form-room, had gathered himself allies against
vengeance. Orrin presently tore up at the head of a boarding party, and
the form-room grew one fog of dust through which boys wrestled, stamped,
shouted, and yelled. A desk was carried away in the tumult, a knot of
warriors reeled into and split a door-panel, a window was broken, and
a gas-jet fell. Under cover of the confusion the three escaped to the
corridor, whence they called in and sent up passers-by to the fray.

"Rescue, Kings! Kings! Kings! Number Twelve form-room! Rescue,
Prouts--Prouts! Rescue, Macraes! Rescue, Hartopps!"

The juniors hurried out like bees aswarm, asking no questions, clattered
up the staircase, and added themselves to the embroilment.

"Not bad for the first evening's work," said Stalky, rearranging his
collar. "I fancy Prout'll be somewhat annoyed. We'd better establish an
alibi." So they sat on Mr. King's railings till prep.

"You see," quoth Stalky, as they strolled up to prep. with the ignoble
herd, "if you get the houses well mixed up an' scufflin', it's even
bettin' that some ass will start a real row. Hullo, Orrin, you look
rather metagrobolized."

"It was all your fault, you beast! You started it. We've got two hundred
lines apiece, and Heffy's lookin' for you. Just see what that swine
Malpas did to my eye!"

"I like your saying we started it. Who called us cribbers? Can't your
infant mind connect cause and effect yet? Some day you'll find out that
it don't pay to jest with Number Five."

"Where's that shillin' you owe