The policeman who had last had them in charge turned quickly away as they passed, and shoved his handkerchief into his mouth. It was a grateful balm to the new man to see a veteran going into the same trap that had just lacerated him. Moreover, Bullam was quite as unpopular in the force as with the students.
All was dark in the house where lay the uneasy head that wore the crown of the precinct. Bullam rang the bell, with a ferocious glare at his prisoners, as though tolling their death knell. A minute afterwards a window opened above, and a head was thrust forth.
"Who is there?" bellowed a voice, now familiar to our much-arrested pair.
"Sergeant Bullam, sir, with an arrest."
Dick and Jack took care to stand under a gas-lamp.
"Have you got two men there with a barber's pole?" asked the voice, rising from a roar to a shriek.
"Yes, sir," chuckled Bullam, gleefully, mistaking the direction of his superior's wrath. "I caught——"
"Didn't they tell you that it was their property, bought and paid for?"
"Yes, they had some cock-and-bull——"
"Stop!" thundered the captain, "you're too —— ready to think every gentleman you meet is a liar. Don't you be so —— —— hot after your promotion. If you'll give more attention to your important duties, and less to making capital out of the students, you'll get ahead faster. Now you go all the way back with these gentlemen, and see that they are not troubled any more. If they are brought here again I'll know who to blame for it. I'll have you up for a breach of special duty, and make it hot for you. What's more, you treat them civilly. I'll have no bullies on my squad. If this man gives you boys any lip, come around and see me about it in the morning. Now get out of here, and you, Bullam, mind what I tell you, and be —— —— careful."