The Pothunters

r Mutual gets to these

y known as the Babe, was a day boy. Dallas and

tt, you

the M

h us. I call him dear partly because he's head of the Hou

Babe over a frying-pan full of sausages, 'par

Babe, 'what sort of a chap is he?

' said Dallas, 'as a hopeless

arked Vaughan. 'His manners are pa

reads Herodotus in the ori

t. Croquet is his form, I should say. Sho

id the Babe, 'do you h

echlessly at Dallas, who look

a remark of that sort infuriates us. You surely don't su

st,' said Vaughan. 'Have you never heard

N

ristmas and I was next man in. Dallas and I had made all sorts of arrangements for having a good time. Well, I got back on t

dotus in the original

took absolutely no notice. I coughed again, loud enough to crack the windows. Then I got tired of it, and said "Hullo". He did look up at that. "H

d the Babe, de

allas, 'he--sorry,

" "No." "Then why the dickens should I be?" he said. I didn't quite follow his argument. In fact, I don't even now. "Look here," I said, "tell me one thing. Have you or have you not bought this plac

House he actually went to the Old Man and persuaded him that it would be better to bring in so

ow,' said

s if it were Mr Ward's body. 'Muffins up, Dallas, old man. When the sausages

d Man? A capital lad at heart, I am sure, distinctly a capital lad, but thoughtless and headstrong, f

the last sausage had gone the way of all flesh, Vaugha

self. You say you haven't studied Plunkett much. When you get to know him b

'is his habit of slinking off in the afternoons when he ou

tarted,' put in the Babe. 'You were

pportunity round here for a chap who wants to try his hand at that. I remember, when I was a kid, Morton Smith, who used to be in this House--

d Venner, M.P., o

as all sorts of dooks. Anyhow, Morton-Smith took me rabbiting there. I didn't know it was against the rules or anything. Had a grand time. A few

id Vaughan. 'He hasn't got the enterprise

bikes?' sa

of chap, though, to borrow somebody else

starting on his career of crime. I'll swear he does break rules like an ordinary h

sort,' said the Babe. 'Don'

us sometimes till w

awful man,'

fter the silence had lasted some time. 'It's

n, 'but, speaking for self and partner, I don't know how we shou

sharp shriek, a hollow groan, and all that would be left of the M

h an aroma o

the afternoons,' suggested the Ba

dn't w

may gas about my being headstrong and thoughtless, but I'm dash

do?' enquir

,' said Dallas. 'I may be a bit of a crock in some ways--for further de

t Plu

have heard at your place, Babe. We were up here working. The Mutual was jawing as usual on the subject of cramming tips for the Aeschylus exam. Said it wasn't scho

ng other people's business, he'd better mind his

u aren't doing a stroke of work. No amount of row matters to a chap who's only delivering a rotten sermon on scholarship. Vaughan and I happen

interpolat

of course we cou

d him,' sa

order for himself." I asked him what he thought he was here

, which is the real life of a public school. His experience of life at St Austin's was limited to doing his wor

t five minutes, and the row seemed to be getting worse than ev

e middle of the room gassing away with an expression on his face a cross between a village idiot and an unintelligent fried egg. And all round him

did yo

ore we'd report them to the beak and so on. They quieted down in about three and a quarter seconds

ughan. 'And, thank goodness, he let

n the whole term. If the head of a House is an abject lunatic, there's bound to be ruc

aughan. 'Only that sort of chap always

llow to get sacked, I sh

some other House. Between Ward and th

near perfection as a beak ever does. Coaches the House footer and cricket, and takes an intelligent interest in th

Ward's,' said the

f he'd known him well, he'd

o knew Ward slightly and there you are.

e House,' said Vaughan, harping once more on the old

himself. Babe, why don't

id the Babe, w

have jumped at the chance of being head of a House. But nothing would s

t point about where he

appeared in person. He stood in the doorway for a few seconds, gasping an

the study _every_ afternoon,' he observed, pleasantl

that's what you mean,'

you enjoyed yourselves. It'

ate way of telling you y

ght to be going,' sai

ot having made his father, like the fathers of Va

h an uncongenial companion can appreciate their feelings to the full. Three in a study is always something of a tight fi

ening?' enquired Plunkett, after he had collected his

Vaughan. 'Perfectly hea

Really, the air in here

tudy,' said Dallas, pointedly. 'Don't stay and poison yours

choose,' said the Mutu

ork. You mustn't talk. Vaughan

oks to the senior study, leaving Dallas and Vaughan to discuss his character once more in case

fully, when the last shreds of Plunkett's character had been put

g one doesn't think possibl

things in the Pav. at all? They mu

ly this time the governors were going to have a meeting there. They could

t see

ct form. There's that crock who makes the two-hour vote of thanks speeches on Prize Da

blame a burglar for taking the pots if th

here's the dic? _And_ our invaluable friend, Mr Bohn? Right. Now, you reel it off, a

ile Vaugha

to win the mi

matter wit

out Dra

n won t

a test of a chap's mile form. Besides

y goo

pace directly he got into the straight. Drake only began to put it on

unging either way. Ou

y his hand at the mile. I believe he woul

ch is a s

hat the mile's his distance. He's alw

his year. Thomson's my man. I

hing. With Dr

oms

ra

t come up. I can't sit here doing Livy all the ev

ou'd developed the work habit or something. Ward's all right.

do you know? Ar

taff have gone. Good opportunity for a chap to go

of a rather special book. Ever read _

gh. Always rather funk startin

p! Good's no

And a good job, too. You might pa

band, while Vaughan opened _Great Expectations_ at the place where

r study he found Galloway, an Upper Fourth member of the House, already in possession. Galloway had managed that evening to insinuate himself with such success into the good graces of the matron, that he had been allowed to stay in the House instead of proceeding with the rest of the study to

the window. Only the glass stood between him and the outer world. He threw up the sash as far as it would go. There was plenty of room to get out. So he got out. He stood for a moment inhaling the fre

ou settled the House gym. team yet

aughan, coming slo

peated hi

e. Haynes, Jarvis, and myself are going in.

her Houses at the School, that none but the head of the H

llas. 'I'll go an

le. After pr

ouble. Whom did you sa

the third string never matters much, and

go and uneart

lloway received anothe

lloway. It's rud

nkett got to

udy,' said

signs were to be seen. The Mutual Friend had had the good sense to close the window after he had

said. 'I didn't want to spend the evening play

nks all the same. Later

ing up?' asked Dallas. 'There's

not. Hea

which stood out black and clear against the April sky. From out of the darkne

ht. If I was at home now I shouldn

't it? There's something not half bad in the Coll. buildings on a night li

a couple more years, though, if it

direction of the College. Nine had struck from t

there's the Mutual. Didn't hear him unlock th

the same bit six days running? I shall never forget Ward's pained expression. Har

t you try

on hasn't quite the

t the foot of the stairs

n,' she said, handing him a bunch of keys

ed Vaughan. 'I thought it

What is our only Plunkett doing out of th

, wearing on his face the virtuous look of one who has been sna

n they met in the study after prayers, '

nior study. Where did

O

doubt

for your word, but you weren't in

bout that time. You seem remarka

e gym. team. You might shove up the li

y we

know, there's something jolly fishy about the Mutual. That door wasn't unlocked when we saw him outside.

een out by the front way to

ou aren't allowed to go out after lock-up with

aid Vaughan. 'Then he might have to

Dallas. '

d-ni

something mysterio