he belongs to--animal, vegetable, or mineral."

And Plunger chuckled so that it seemed as though he would never be able
to stop himself. Just to keep him company, Harry chuckled too.

"Splendid little joke, isn't it, Harry?"

"Splendid."

"I told you what fun you'd have when you got to Garside. Better than
Gaffer Quelch's, eh? Things were awfully slow there, weren't they,
Harry?"

"Awfully."

But, so far as fun was concerned, Harry couldn't see that he had had
very much of it, except at his own expense. Plunger had, in fact, made
him his butt, and now he wished to score off Baldry through his
instrumentality.

"I didn't quite understand you, Freddy," said Harry presently, as
Plunger went on chuckling. "Who do you say was to be up in the tree at
the back of the Forum and pull the string?"

"You, Harry. I'm giving you the post of honour, because you deserve it.
Baldry has poked fun at you a lot. Now it's your turn, old fellow."

"It's very kind of you, Freddy--it really is. I don't know how to be
grateful enough. I'm to be in the tree, you say: but where will you be?"

"Oh, I'll do the whistling."

"The whistling?"

"Yes, to let you know up in the tree when Baldry comes along. Then,
directly Baldry opens the door, you pull the string, and--there you are.
Baldry in full plumage. It's all clear enough, isn't it?"

"All clear enough;--but----"

"But what? You're not going to cry off, are you?"

"I'm not going to cry off; but suppose we change places."

"How do you mean?"

"You go up the tree and do the pulling, and let me do the whistling."

"Why, it'll be ever so much more fun to pull the string. I want to give
you the best position, you see."

"I know you do, Freddy. I know your good nature; but I'm not going to
let you make the sacrifice. I'll do the whistling."

"Very well, if you wish it. I don't mind which I do," said Plunger, in a
lofty tone. "Only don't make a mess of it."

"Oh, my part's so simple, I can't make a mess of it. Mind you don't make
a mess of yours, Freddy."

Now Harry decided, immediately on quitting Plunger, that he would
acquaint Baldry with the joke that Plunger intended to play upon him. It
was he who had drawn that cartoon in the Forum that had stirred Plunger
to wrath, and Harry came to the conclusion that it was not right that
Baldry should suffer for him. Besides, as Plunger had so often scored
over him, he thought it only right that he should begin to equalize
matte