“What’s the matter?” said Stalky, quick to realize new atmospheres.
“You know jolly well,” said Abanazar. “You’ll be expelled if you get caught. King is a gibbering maniac.”
“Who? Which? What? Expelled for how? We only played the war-drum. We’ve got turned out for that already.”
“Do you chaps mean to say you didn’t make Rabbits-Eggs drunk and bribe him to rock King’s rooms?”
“Bribe him? No, that I’ll swear we didn’t,” said Stalky, with a relieved heart, for he loved not to tell lies. “What a low mind you’ve got, Pussy! We’ve been down having a bath. Did Rabbits-Eggs rock King? Strong, perseverin’ man King? Shockin’!”
“Awf’ly. King’s frothing at the mouth. There’s bell for prayers. Come on.”
“Wait a sec,” said Stalky, continuing the conversation in a loud and cheerful voice, as they descended the stairs. “What did Rabbits-Eggs rock King for?”
“I know,” said Beetle, as they passed King’s open door. “I was in his study.”
“Hush, you ass!” hissed the Emperor of China. “Oh, he’s gone down to prayers,” said Beetle, watching the shadow of the house-master on the wall. “Rabbits-Eggs was only a bit drunk, swearin’ at his horse, and King jawed him through the window, and then, of course, he rocked King.”
“Do you mean to say,” said Stalky, “that King began it?”