Pink Eye: Got any witnesses, Gimlet?
Gimlet: Taffy Bingham’s witness enough for me.
Pink Eye: Guilty. Of—well, whatever it was they were charged—
Gimlet: Hey, hold on, Your Honor; we ain’t summed up yet, and besides, we forgot to get a jury, in the first place.
The Class (with one voice): Dry up, Gimlet. Let His Honor talk.
Pink Eye: Guilty, I said. I sentence them to a general hazing. First, they must get up before us and show us just how they run these cute little aeroplanes of theirs. Then, each of them must beat it around and beg the pardon of each member of the class, and not repeat themselves, either. Also, each Senior shall say something real cute and witty to ’em. But first, there’s a Senior Class school edict, to be read by the school idiot—school crier, I mean. Let ’er go, Bunk.
Bunk Tarver: O yez, o yez, ten times. Listen, especially all youse Sophomores on the side lines (Reads): “This ‘Trial and Punishment Extraordinary’ will be enough to take it out of Griffin and Darby for having the cheek to get notorious; and any one that jollies them, after this, will get Senior Disfavor, also the Grand Queer. They’re good fellows and good Santa Benicians and they are not to get kidded. This strictly goes. Signed by the whole Senior Class.”
“Now for the aeroplane,” shouted the Seniors. Chairs and sheets and golf sticks and a chafing dish and an automobile horn and a whole junk shop of other foolish things were handed into the center of the ring. Out of these, Hike and Poodle had to construct an aeroplane, and show how to fly it, while the Seniors let loose with all the insults of which, just then, they were able to think:
“How does the Army get along without you? How soon do you start teaching Captain Beck how to fly? When’s Vedrines goin’ to learn from you? Did you leave any air for the rest of us to fly in?”
When, finally, Hike and Poodle went solemnly around the Seniors and begged pardon of each for having dared to be born, the Hazing Extraordinary broke up joyously, with whoops and cheers—good, hearty, admiring cheers—for Hike and Poodle, in which the other classes joined. Most of the boys headed for their room and bedsteads.