MIKE A PUBLIC SCHOOL STORY BY P. G. WODEHOUSE CONTAINING TWELVE FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS BY T. M. R. WHITWELL LONDON 1909. [Illustration (Frontispiece): “ARE YOU THE M. JACKSON THEN WHO HAD AN AVERAGE OF FIFTY ONE POINT NOUGHT THREE LAST YEAR?”] [Dedication] TO ALAN DURAND CONTENTS CHAPTER I. MIKE II. THE JOURNEY DOWN III. MIKE FINDS A FRIENDLY NATIVE IV. AT THE NETS V. REVELRY BY NIGHT VI. IN WHICH A TIGHT CORNER IS EVADED VII. IN WHICH MIKE IS DISCUSSED VIII. A ROW WITH THE TOWN IX. BEFORE THE STORM X. THE GREAT PICNIC XI. THE CONCLUSION OF THE PICNIC XII. MIKE GETS HIS CHANCE XIII. THE M.C.C. MATCH XIV. A SLIGHT IMBROGLIO XV. MIKE CREATES A VACANCY XVI. AN EXPERT EXAMINATION XVII. ANOTHER VACANCY XVIII. BOB HAS NEWS TO IMPART XIX. MIKE GOES TO SLEEP AGAIN XX. THE TEAM IS FILLED UP XXI. MARJORY THE FRANK XXII. WYATT IS REMINDED OF AN ENGAGEMENT XXIII. A SURPRISE FOR MR. APPLEBY XXIV. CAUGHT XXV. MARCHING ORDERS XXVI. THE AFTERMATH XXVII. THE RIPTON MATCH XXVIII. MIKE WINS HOME XXIX. WYATT AGAIN XXX. MR. JACKSON MAKES UP HIS MIND XXXI. SEDLEIGH XXXII. PSMITH XXXIII. STAKING OUT A CLAIM XXXIV. GUERILLA WARFARE XXXV. UNPLEASANTNESS IN THE SMALL HOURS XXXVI. ADAIR XXXVII. MIKE FINDS OCCUPATION XXXVIII. THE FIRE BRIGADE MEETING XXXIX. ACHILLES LEAVES HIS TENT XL. THE MATCH WITH DOWNING’S XLI. THE SINGULAR BEHAVIOUR OF JELLICOE XLII. JELLICOE GOES ON THE SICK-LIST XLIII. MIKE RECEIVES A COMMISSION XLIV. AND FULFILS IT XLV. PURSUIT XLVI. THE DECORATION OF SAMMY XLVII. MR. DOWNING ON THE SCENT XLVIII. THE SLEUTH-HOUND XLIX. A CHECK L. THE DESTROYER OF EVIDENCE LI. MAINLY ABOUT BOOTS LII. ON THE TRAIL AGAIN LIII. THE KETTLE METHOD LIV. ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE LV. CLEARING THE AIR LVI. IN WHICH PEACE IS DECLARED LVII. MR. DOWNING MOVES LVIII. THE ARTIST CLAIMS HIS WORK LIX. SEDLEIGH _v._ WRYKYN LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS BY T. M. R. WHITWELL “ARE YOU THE M. JACKSON, THEN, WHO HAD AN AVERAGE OF FIFTY-ONE POINT NOUGHT THREE LAST YEAR?” THE DARK WATERS WERE LASHED INTO A MAELSTROM “DON’T _LAUGH_, YOU GRINNING APE” “DO--YOU--SEE, YOU FRIGHTFUL KID?” “WHAT’S ALL THIS ABOUT JIMMY WYATT?” MIKE AND THE BALL ARRIVED ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY “WHAT THE DICKENS ARE YOU DOING HERE?” PSMITH SEIZED AND EMPTIED JELLICOE’S JUG OVER SPILLER “WHY DID YOU SAY YOU DIDN’T PLAY CRICKET?” HE ASKED “WHO--” HE SHOUTED, “WHO HAS DONE THIS?” “DID--YOU--PUT--THAT--BOOT--THERE, SMITH?” MIKE DROPPED THE SOOT-COVERED OBJECT IN THE FENDER CHAPTER I MIKE