bosom as soon as they reached the study. 'However did you do it?'
'Dear-r man!' said M'Turk, embracing Beetle's head with both arms, while he swayed it to and fro on the neck, in time to this ancient burden—
'Pretty lips—sweeter than—cherry or plum,
Always look—jolly and—never look glum;
Seem to say—Come away. Kissy!—come, come!
Yummy-yum! Yummy-yum! Yummy-yum-yum!'
'Look out. You'll smash my gig-lamps,' puffed Beetle, emerging. 'Wasn't it glorious Didn't I "Eric" 'em splendidly? Did you spot my cribs from King? Oh, blow!' His countenance clouded. 'There's one adjective I didn't use—obscene. 'Don't know how I forgot that. It's one of King's pet ones, too.'
'Never mind. They'll be sendin' ambassadors round in half a shake to beg us not to tell the school. It's a deuced serious business for them,' said M'Turk. 'Poor Sixth—poor old Sixth!'
'Immoral young rips,' Stalky snorted. 'What an example to pure-souled boys like you and me!'
And the Sixth in Carson's study stood aghast, glowering at Tulke, who was on the edge of tears.
'Well,' said the head-prefect acidly. 'You've made a pretty average ghastly mess of it, Tulke.'
'Why—why didn't you lick that young devil Beetle before he began jawing?' Tulke wailed.
'I knew there'd be a row,' said a prefect of Prout's house. 'But you would insist on the meeting, Tulke.'
'Yes, and a fat lot of good it's done us,' said Naughten. 'They come in here and jaw our heads
