s as quickly
as possible or he would be "squashed before he could get to his hole
again." Mellor, smarting under these indignities, had hastened back to
St. Bede's and placed the note in the hands of one of the boys belonging
to the corresponding form to that of his tormentors.

The Fifth had duly considered it, and a day later had despatched an
answer with Mellor. And this was the answer: "Gargoyle, otherwise
spout--receiving things that come from gutters. Meant to frighten people
by making ugly faces. Good for little else. If the Fifth Form has one
Gargoyle of any pluck amongst them, he will find a Fifth Form Beetle
ready to meet him at the sand-pit, Cranstead Common, to-morrow
afternoon, three sharp."

"It's a challenge," said Hasluck.

"Read it out," came in a chorus.

And Hasluck read it out.

"Don't you think you've got a lot of cheek to bring a note like that,
Mellor," remarked Arbery when Hasluck had finished.

"Not half as much as Parfitt had in writing the one he sent by me,"
retorted Mellor indignantly.

"What does it feel like, being a Beetle?" asked Leveson politely.
"Kitchen stuff's fattening, isn't it?"

"After going about on all fours, don't you find it a bit tricky to stand
on your hind legs again?" remarked Arbery. "Want a balancing-pole, don't
you?"

Before Mellor could reply, a mysterious gurgling sound came from the
direction in which Devey was standing.

"Hallo, Devey, what's wrong?" demanded Hasluck, as every eye turned in
his direction.

"Wrong? Nothing wrong! What do you mean?" retorted Devey, quite blushing
at thus suddenly becoming the object of general attention.

"Thought you were trying to laugh. Never heard such a screech. Like a
laughing hyena with the toothache. Don't do it again, there's a good
chap. It'll get on our nerves."

"I haven't done anything, I tell you," exclaimed the indignant Devey. "I
didn't laugh."

"It came from your corner. It must have been some of those youngsters of
the Third eavesdropping outside. Chase 'em away a bit, Arbery."

Arbery, accompanied by Leveson, darted out with the object of giving the
"youngsters of the Third" a bad time, but after searching around the
shed, could find no sign of their presence.

"They must have scooted before we could get to them," reported Arbery on
his return to the shed. "I can guess pretty well who it was--Plunger and
his set."

Again that sound from Devey's corner which Hasluck had described as "a
laughi