I'll tackle him."

Fisher minor considered this uncommonly good advice, and obeyed it with
alacrity. The other two followed less eagerly. They would have liked
to stay and see the fun.

As Wally expected, his affectionate relative, being baulked of his prey
outside, came to pay a fraternal visit.

"What cheer?" said he. "I say, have you seen a kid called Fisher minor?
The new kid, you know, that we had a lark with at dinner on first-
night."

"Oh, that chap. Bless you, he messes in our study. What about him?"

"I want him. I want to say something to him."

"I'll tell him."

"All right. He's come and told you, has he? and you're hiding him?
Never mind; I'll bowl him out, the beauty. I know all about that little
game of yours, yesterday, you know!"

"What little game?"

"As if you didn't know! Do you suppose I didn't find five of 'em shut
up here yesterday, being kept out of the way at Elections?"

"Yes; and do you suppose if it hadn't been for me they'd have got into
the Hall at all? Don't be a beast, Percy, if you can help. They stayed
here of their own accord. No one kept them in. I say, have some
toffee?"

"Got any?"

"Rather. A new brew this morning. I say, you can have half of it."

"Thanks, awfully, Wally."

"You see--oh, take more than that--these new kids are such born asses,
they boss everything. You should have heard that Fisher minor at lamb's
singing the other night--like the toffee? I say, don't be a sneak about
those chaps. You'd never have got them in without me. I backed you up,
and got the door open. I say--would you like a Turkish stamp? I've got
one to swop--but you can have it if you like."

"Thanks, old man. Yes, new kinds are rot. Well, ta, ta--better make it
up, I suppose. I say, I shan't have time to write home to-day. You
write this time, and I'll do the two next week."

"All serene, if you like. Here, you're leaving one of your bits of
toffee. Ta, ta, old chappie."

And these great twin brethren, whose infirmity it was always to be fond
of one another when they were together, and to scorn one another when
they were apart, separated in a most amicable fashion.

"Well?" asked the three exiles, putting in their heads as soon as the
enemy had gone.

"Choked him off," said Wally, fanning himself. "Jolly hard work. But
he came round."

Percy, meanwhile, having suddenly remembered his errand, hastened back
to the house. As he did so he observed n