Page:Stalky and co - Kipling (1908).djvu/167

Rh Poor devil! But he called me a beastly poet, though.'

'Well, come on.' Stalky lowered his voice. 'Good-bye, Campbell. 'Member, if you don't talk, nobody will.'

There should have been a war-dance, but that all three were so utterly tired that they almost went to sleep above the tea-cups in their study, and slept till prep.

'A most extraordinary letter. Are all parents incurably mad? What do you make of it?' said the Head, handing a closely-written eight pages to the Reverend John.

'"The only son of his mother, and she a widow." That is the least reasonable sort.' The chaplain read with pursed lips.

'If half those charges are true he should be in the sick-house; whereas he is disgustingly well. Certainly he has shaved. I noticed that.'

'Under compulsion, as his mother points out. How delicious! How salutary!'

'You haven't to answer her. It isn't often I don't know what has happened in the school; but this is beyond me.'

'If you asked me I should say seek not to propitiate. When one is forced to take crammers' pups'

'He was perfectly well at extra-tuition—with me—this morning,' said the Head absently. 'Unusually well-behaved, too.'

'they either educate the school, or the