"Yes, sir."
"And the day before that."
Chapple did not deny it. He stood on one foot and smiled a propitiating smile. So far Mr. Seymour was entitled to demand a cigar or cocoanut every time.
The housemaster walked to the window, looked out, returned to the mantelpiece, and shifted the position of a china vase two and a quarter inches to the left. Chapple, by way of spirited repartee, stood on the other leg and curled the disengaged foot round his ankle. The conversation was getting quite intellectual.
"You will write out——"
"Sir, please, sir——" interrupted Chapple in an "I-represent-the defendant-m'lud" tone of voice.
"Well?"
"It's awfully hard to hear the bell from where I sleep, sir."
Owing to the increased numbers of the house this term Chapple had been removed from his dormitory proper to a small room some distance away.
"Nonsense. The bell can be heard perfectly well all over the house."