We're awfully sorry about the boat, you know.

My governor came down and squared most of the fellows, and it's all right now, and Tom's got let off.

Pledge has got a spite against all our 'Firm,' because we're not going to let Georgie be made a cad of by him, and we told him so; didn't we, you chaps ?" "Yes, we did," shouted the "chaps." "Yes, he thought," continued Dick, warming up, "he'd make Georgie go and fag for him again, by threatening him about this row; but we backed Georgie up, and wouldn't let him; and then he promised to show us up at the 'Sociables,' and so he has." Dick's oration was too much for the feelings of his audience.

They laughed and cheered at every sentence; and when finally he subsided between his two supporters, quite short of breath, and wondering at the length of his own speech, they forgot the Captain's rebuke, and finished their howl against Pledge to the bitter end.
"Does Pledge want to ask any more questions ?" asked Mansfield.
Pledge laughed bitterly.
"No, thank you; I'm not quite clever enough for them." "Perhaps you are right," said the Captain, drily.

"And if you have nothing more to say, perhaps you would like to go." Pledge hesitated a moment, amid the howls which followed the Captain's words.