“Fell down and hurt my nose, sir,” whimpers Tibbs.
Dr. “But the ground is muddy, and your clothes clean.”
T. “Only touched the ground with my nose, sir.”
But I can give a more comprehensive example in an occurrence that I well remember. One night, in one of the chambers, the boys were up and amusing themselves with the operation of a “Toefitying,” which consists in noosing the toe of a sleeper in a piece of string, and then pulling, concerning which pastime more anon. Badger was trying to operate on Reynard, who, (though pretending to be asleep, was really wide awake,) gently stealing his hand from under the bedclothes, clutched a Donnegan, and launched it at Badger’s head, who, being thereby floored, mechanically replied with his extinguished candlestick, extinguisher, snuffers, and all, which unfortunately took effect, and inflicted a deep cut on Reynard’s lip. The next morning, as Reynard was not producible, one of the Masters made affectionate inquiries respecting him. On hearing that he had cut his lip, he inquired, “How?” No one had an idea.
Master. “Send for Reynard.”
[Appears Reynard with his head in a sling.]
M. “How did you cut your lip?”
R. “Woke in the night, sir, and found my lip bleeding; think something must have struck it.”
M. “Tell the Senior Præfect in the chamber to come to me.”
[Præfect appears.] M. “Toller, what was going on in your chamber last night?”