"And suppose Paddy took you at your word, my boy?
Sad thing for Welch's that would be!" "I don't know why you choose to make a beast of yourself whenever I speak," said Tucker, angrily; "I've as much right--" "Shut up, Tucker, for goodness' sake!" said Bloomfield; "don't begin by quarrelling." "Well, then, what does he want to cheek me for ?" demanded Tucker.

"He's a stuck-up schoolhouse prig, that's what he is!" "And if I only had the flow of costermonger's talk which some people possess--" began Crossfield.
"Are you going to shut up or not ?" demanded Bloomfield.
"Hullo! you aren't captain yet, old man!" replied the irrepressible Crossfield; "but if you want to know, I am going to shut up now till I want to speak again." "We might get up a petition to the doctor, anyhow," suggested Game, returning to the subject; "he'd have to take notice of that." "What will you say in the petition ?" asked Porter.
"Oh! easy enough that.

Say we don't consider Riddell fit to be captain, and we'd sooner have some one else." "Better say we'd sooner have Bloomfield at once," said Wibberly.
"No; please don't mention my name," said Bloomfield.
"Wouldn't the best thing be to send Riddell back with a label, `Declined, with thanks,' pinned on his coat-tail ?" suggested Crossfield.
"Yes; and add, `Try again, Paddy,'" said Coates, laughing.
"And just mention no schoolhouse snobs are wanted," said Tucker.
"And suggest, mildly, that a nice, clever, amiable, high-principled Welcher like Tom Tucker would be acceptable," added Crossfield.
"Look here," said Tucker, very red in the face, advancing towards his tormentor, "I've stood your impudence long enough, you cad, and I won't stand any more." "Sit down, then," replied Crossfield, cheerfully, "plenty of forms." "Look here, you fellows," said Bloomfield again, "for goodness' sake shut up.

Have it out afterwards if you like, but don't fight here." "I don't mind where I have it out," growled Tucker, "but I'll teach him to cheek me, see if I don't." So saying, much to the relief of every one, he turned on his heel and left the room.
After this the discussion again got round to Riddell, and the question of a petition was revived.
"It would be quite easy to draw something up that would say what we want to say and not give offence to any one," said Ashley.
"But what do you want to say ?" asked Fairbairn.

"If you want to tell the doctor he's wrong, and that we are the people to set him right, I don't see how you can help offending him." "That's not what we want to say at all," said Game.