Calcraft. There's the
dean, just gone out of the cloisters; if you make haste, Calcraft,
you'll catch him up. Put your best foot foremost, and ask him if he
won't report Mr. Gaunt for punishment."
The porter could have danced with rage; and his whip was smacking
ominously. He did not dare advance it too near the circle when the
senior boy was present, or indeed, when any of the elder boys were.
"How's your lumbago, Mr. Ketch?" demanded Stephen Bywater. "I'd advise
you to get rid of that, before the next time you go on duty; it might
be in your way, you know. Never was such a thing heard of, as for the
chief toppler-off of the three kingdoms to be disabled in his limbs!
What _would_ you do? I'm afraid you'd be obliged to resign your post,
and sink into private life."
"Now I just vow to goodness, as I'll do all I can to get these
cloisters took from you boys," shrieked old Ketch, clasping his hands
together. "There's insults as flesh and blood can't stand; and, as sure
as I'm living, I'll pay you out for it."
He turned tail and hobbled off, as he spoke, and the boys raised "three
groans for Jack Ketch," and then rushed away by the other entrance to
their own dinners. The fact was, the porter had brought ill will upon
himself, through his cross-grained temper. He had no right whatever to
interfere between the boys and the cloisters; it was not his place to
do so. The king's scholars knew this; and, being spirited king's
scholars, as they were, would not stand it.
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