“Draws be blowed! I must have tickled him up in some way I didn’t know about. If I’d had a notion of that before, of course I could have rubbed it in better. It’s too late now. What a pity! ‘Baser side.’ What _was_ he drivin’ at?” “Never mind,” said Stalky. “I knew we could make it a happy little house. I said so, remember--but I swear I didn’t think we’d do it so soon.” * * * * * “No,” said Prout most firmly in Common-room. “I maintain that Gillett is wrong. True, I let them return to their study.” “With your known views on cribbing, too?” purred little Hartopp. “What an immoral compromise!” “One moment,” said the Reverend John. “I--we--all of us have exercised an absolutely heart-breaking discretion for the last ten days. Now we want to know. Confess--have you known a happy minute since--” “As regards my house, I have not,” said Prout. “But you are entirely wrong in your estimate of those boys. In justice to the others--in self-defence--” “Ha! I said it would come to that,” murmured the Reverend John. “--I was forced to send them back. Their moral influence was unspeakable--simply unspeakable.” And bit by bit he told his tale, beginning with Beetle’s usury, and ending with the house-prefects’ appeal. “Beetle in the _rôle_ of Shylock is new to me,” said King, with twitching lips. “I heard rumors of it--” “Before?” said Prout. “No, after you had dealt with them; but I was careful not to inquire. I never interfere with--” “I myself,” said Hartopp, “would cheerfully give him five shillings if he could work out one simple sum in compound interest without three gross errors.” “Why--why--why!” Mason, the mathematical master, stuttered, a fierce joy on his face, “you’ve been had--precisely the same as me!” “And so you held an inquiry?” Little Hartopp’s voice drowned Mason’s ere Prout caught the import of the sentence. “The boy himself hinted at the existence of a deal of it in the house,” said Prout. “He is past master in that line,” said the chaplain. “But, as regards the honor of the house--” “They lowered it in a week. I have striven to build it up for years. My own house-prefects--and boys do not willingly complain of each other--besought me to get rid of them. You say you have their confidence, Gillett: they may tell you another tale. As far as I am concerned, they may go to the devil in their own way. I’m sick and tired of them,” said Prout bitterly. But it was the Reverend John, with a smiling countenance, who went to the devil just after Number Five had cleared away a very pleasant little brew (it cost them two and fourpence) and was settling down to prep. “Come in, Padre, come in,” said Stalky, thrusting forward the best chair. “We’ve only met you official-like these last ten days.” “You were under sentence,” said the Reverend John. “I do not consort with malefactors.” “Ah, but we’re restored again,” said McTurk. “Mr. Prout has relented.”