as well as good little boys like Stalky. We've got to do that to make our name, of course, and we get 'em into Sandhurst somehow or other, don't we?'

`True, O Turk. Like a book thou talkest, Turkey.'

`And so we want rather different masters, don't you think so, to other places? We aren't like the rest of the schools.' mitories, devoid of inner doors, were crossed at all hours of the night by masters visiting one another; for bachelors sit up later than married folk. Beetle had never dreamed that there might be a purpose in this steady policing.

`Talking about bullying,' the Reverend John resumed, `you all caught it pretty hot when you were fags, didn't you?'

`Well, we must have been rather awful little beasts,' said Beetle, looking serenely over the gulf between eleven and sixteen. `My Hat, what bullies they were then--Fairburn, "Gobby" Maunsell, and all that gang!'

`'Member when "Gobby" called us the Three Blind Mice, and we had to get up on the lockers and sing while he buzzed inkpots at us?' said Stalky. `They were bullies if you like!'

`But there isn't any of it now,' said M`Turk soothingly.

`That's where you make a mistake. We're all inclined to say that everything is all right as long as we ourselves aren't hurt. I sometimes wonder if it is extinct--bullying.'

`Fags bully each other horrid; but the upper forms are supposed to be swottin' for exams. They've got something else to think about,' said Beetle.

`Why? What do you think?' Stalky was watching the chaplain's face.

`I have my doubts.' Then, explosively, `On my word, for three moderately intelligent boys you aren't very observant. I suppose you were too busy making things warm for your house-master to see what lay under your noses when you were in the form-rooms last week?'

`What, sir? I--I swear we didn't see anything,' said Beetle.

`Then I'd advise you to look. When a little chap is whimpering in a corner and wears his clothes like rags, and never does any work, and is notoriously the dirtiest little "corridor-caution" in the Coll., something's wrong somewhere.'

`That's Clewer,' said M`Turk under his breath.

`Yes, Clewer. He comes to me for his French. It's his first term, and he's almost as complete a wreck as you were, Beetle. He's not naturally clever, but he has been hammered till he's nearly an idiot.'

`Oh no. They sham silly to get off more lickings,' said Beetle. `I know that.'

`I've never actually seen him knocked about,' said the Reverend John.

`The genuine article don't do that in public,' said Beetle. `Fairburn never touched me when any one was looking on.'

`You needn't swagger about it, Beetle,' said M`Turk. `We all caught it in our time.'

`But I got it worse than any one,' said Beetle. `If you want an authority on bullyin', Padre, come to me. Corkscrews--brush-drill--keys--head-knucklin'--arm-twistin'--rockin'--Ag Ags--and all the rest of it.'

`Yes. I do want you as an authority, or rather I want your authority to stop it--all of you.'