"I explained to them exactly what I thought of them," replied the coxswain simply.
"What did you say, exactly?"
Dishy told them. They smacked their lips appreciatively, and the next question followed pat.
"And what did they do?"
"Well, they were a bit far gone—"
"Drunken sweeps!" remarked the virtuous Gussie, who belonged to a rival institution.
"Yes. They were a bit far gone," repeated the coxswain, with the air of one endeavouring to explain an otherwise unaccountable circumstance, "and they—well, they hove me out, in fact. There were nine of them," he added, in the manner of one who is not quite sure if his excuse will be accepted.
"And then?"
"Then I went straight off to old Hughie's rooms"—there was a respectful intaking of breath by the company: most of the College were wont to refer to the gentleman in question as Marrable—"and knocked him up. He had just gone to bed."
"What did he do?" came the question, in lively anticipation of the recital to come.