'That won't hurt him, said Lady Circumference, 'but I think someone ought to remove the pistol from that old man before he does anything serious.
'I knew that was going to happen, said Lord Circumference.
'A most unfortunate beginning, said the Doctor.
'Am I going to die? said Tangent, his mouth full of cake.
'For God's sake, look after Prendy, said Grimes in Paul's ear. 'The man's as tight as a lord, and on one whisky, too.
'First blood to me! said Mr Prendergast gleefully.
'The last race will be run again, said Paul down the megaphone. 'Starter, Mr Philbrick; timekeeper, Mr Prendergast.
'On your marks! Get set. Bang went the pistol, this time without disaster. The six little boys scampered off through the mud, disappeared behind the beeches and returned rather more slowly. Captain Grimes and Mr Prendergast held up a piece of tape.
'Well run, sirl' shouted Colonel Sidebotham. 'Jolly good race.
'Capital, said Mr Prendergast, and dropping his end of the tape, he sauntered over to the Colonel. 'I can see you are a fine judge of a race, sir. So was I once. So's Grimes. A capital fellow, Grimes; a bounder, you know, but a capital fellow. Bounders can be capital fellows; don't you agree, Colonel Slidebottom? In fact, I'd go further and say that capital fellows are bounders. What d'you say to that? I wish you'd stop pulling at my arm, Pennyfeather. Colonel Shybottom and I are just having a most interesting conversation about bounders.