Page:Cuthbert Bede--Little Mr Bouncer and Tales of College Life.djvu/50

30 on Verdant Green's behalf, I have come to request you to return to him the three fivers that he handed to you."

"I decline to do anything of the kind."

"You do?"

"Most decidedly I do!" cried Mr. Blucher Boots, angrily. "And it 's like your impertinence to force yourself into my rooms and to make such a proposition."

"Very well, then, my beauty," replied little Mr. Bouncer, coolly, as he rose to leave the room; "then, having fulfilled my errand, and got my answer, I 'll go, and leave you to look out for squalls. Betting is n't allowed in college, as you are aware; and, all that 's done in that way is sub rosâ, and unknown to the Dons. In their eyes, bets on cards would be bad enough; but bets on races and books on the Derby would be looked upon as something more than peccadilloes. As you don't choose to hand back Verdant Green's three five-pound notes, I shall go at once to Dr. Portman, the Master of Brazenface, and lay the whole affair before him. I shall do the same by the Head of your own College. My friend will get off very lightly, because he's a Freshman and inexperienced, and was led on by you; but it will be a different thing with you; and if, to-morrow you don't hear something about Rustication, then my name 's not Bouncer. It 'll be a nice thing, won't it, for Lord Balmoral's hopeful son to be sent down to the country for getting a raw Freshman's money out of him? There are unkind people in the world who would, perhaps, say that it was as bad as fleecing a Freshman; but, whatever they may say, you 've only yourself to thank for it. Ta, ta! my beauty. Look out for squalls." And little Mr. Bouncer left the room.

"Hi! here! wait a moment, you sir!" called out Mr.