n could gasp, "Open the
door! do you hear? Mr Parrett's here; let him out."

"Won't wash, my boy!" cried a mocking voice--"won't wash! Wait a bit,
we've got another bottle for you when you're quite ready!"

"Let me out, boys!" cried Mr Parrett as well as he could for choking
and holding his nose.

"Tell you it won't wash, my boy!" cried the insulting voice outside.
"Try again! Have a little more sulphuretted hydrogen. Jolly stuff,
isn't it? Hold on, you fellows, while I chuck it in!"

The idea of another bottle was more than any one could endure.

Mr Parrett groaned and cleared his throat for another summons, but
Parson was before him.

"I say," cried he, in positively piteous tones, "we give in. I'll
apologise, anything--do you hear?"

"Eh--go down on your knees, then," cried the enemy.

"I am," said Parson.

"Is he? the rest of you? is he on his knees? both of them?"

"Yes, he is," cried Bosher. "Honour bright."

"Well then, say `I'm a beastly cad, and a funk, and a sneak, and I
knuckle under and will never do it any more.'"

"I'm a beastly cad," gasped Parson, choking with shame, anger, and
sulphuretted hydrogen, "and a funk, and a sneak, and I knuckle under and
will never do it any more."

"Now all the rest of you say it!"

Telson, Bosher, and King obeyed, one after the other.

"Is that all of you?"

"Yes," said Parson, terrified at the prospect of Mr Parrett having to
go through the ordeal. "Telson, Bosher, King, and I are the only boys
here."

"All serene," cried the jubilant voice outside, "open the door, you
fellows!"

We draw a veil over the scene which followed!

Mr Parrett hurried out of the room the moment the door was open, merely
turning to say, "Come to me all of you at seven to-night!"

And then with his handkerchief still over his mouth he hurried off.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.

A SURPRISE IN STORE.

For a few minutes, as the disconcerted and terrified youngsters stood in
a small band at Parson's study-door and watched Mr Parrett slowly
retreat down the passage, it seemed as if the final crisis in the career
of every one present had arrived.

It would have been bad enough to be caught in the midst of a simple free
fight and sent up to the doctor. But the case was far more terrible
than that! For Mr Parrett had been fearfully and wonderfully mixed up
in the whole affair. A few weeks ago the Parrett's juniors had done
their best to drown him; now they had done thei