`There was a C on it. I thought it was Mr. Corkran's. This is a very serious business, young gentlemen. That's what it is. I didn't know, perhaps, but there might be something on your side which you hadn't said to Mr. King or Mr. Prout, maybe.'
`There is. Heaps, Foxibus.' This from Stalky through a full mouth.
`Then you see, if that was the case, it seemed to me I might represent it, quiet so to say, to the 'Ead when he asks me about it. I've got to take 'im the charges to-night, an'--it looks bad on the face of it.'
`'Trocious bad, Foxy. Twenty-seven cuts in the Gym before all the school, and public expulsion. "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is ragin',"' quoth Beetle.
`It's nothin' to make fun of, young gentlemen. I 'ave to go to the 'Ead with the charges. An'--an' you mayn't be aware, per'aps, that I was followin' you this afternoon; havin' my suspicions.'
`Did ye see the notice-boards?' croaked M`Turk, in the very brogue of Colonel Dabney.
`Ye've eyes in your head. Don't attempt to deny it. Ye did!' said Beetle.
`A Sergeant! To run about poachin' on your pension! Damnable! Oh, damnable!' said Stalky, without pity.
`Good Lord!' said the Sergeant, sitting heavily upon a bed. `Where--where the devil was you? I might ha' known it was a do--somewhere.'
`Oh, you clever maniac!' Stalky resumed. `We mayn't be aware you were followin' us this afternoon, mayn't we? 'Thought you were stalkin' us, eh? Why, we led you bung into it, of course. Colonel Dabney--don't you think he's a nice man, Foxy?--Colonel Dabney's our pet particular friend. We've been goin' there for weeks and weeks. He invited us. You and your duty! Curse your duty, sir! Your duty was to keep off his covers.'
`You'll never be able to hold up your head again, Foxy. The fags 'll hoot at you,' said Beetle. `Think of your giddy prestige!'
The Sergeant was thinking--hard.
`Look 'ere, young gentlemen,' he said earnestly. `You aren't surely ever goin' to tell, are you? Wasn't Mr. Prout and Mr. King in--in it too?'
`Foxibusculus, they was. They was--singular horrid. Caught it worse than you. We heard every word of it. You got off easy, considerin'. If I'd been Dabney I swear I'd ha' quodded you. I think I'll suggest it to him to-morrow.'
`An' it's all goin' up to the 'Ead. Oh, Good Lord!'
`Every giddy word of it, my Chingangook,' said Beetle, dancing. `Why shouldn't it? We've done nothing wrong. We ain't poachers. We didn't cut about blastin' the characters of poor, innocent boys--saying they were drunk.'
`That I didn't,' said Foxy. `I--I only said that you be'aved uncommon odd when you come back with that badger. Mr. King may have taken the wrong hint from that.'
`'Course he did; an' he'll jolly well shove all the blame on you when he finds out he's wrong. We know King, if you don't. I'm ashamed of you. You ain't fit to be a Sergeant,' said M`Turk.