F. Anstey

“ I'll go and fetch it!'
'Will you?' cried Porter, half relieved. 'Where is it, then?'
'Where?' said Paul sharply (he was growing positively brilliant) . 'Why, in my playbox to be sure; where should it be?'
'It isn't in your playbox, I know,' put in Siggers: 'because I saw it turned out yesterday and there was no rabbit then. Besides, how could a rabbit live in a playbox? He's telling lies. I can see it by his face. He hasn't any rabbit!'
'Of course I haven't!' said Mr. Bultitude. 'How should I? I'm not a conjurer. It's not a habit of mine to go about with rabbits concealed on my person. ”

“ Blinkhorn, naturally enough, saw no reason why the money, being clearly due, should not be paid at once. 'Give me any money you have about you, Bultitude,' he said, 'and I'll satisfy your debts with it, as far as it goes.'
Paul clasped his arm convulsively. 'No!' he cried hoarsely, 'not that! Don't make me do that! I—I can't pay them—not now. They don't understand. If they only give me time they shall have double their money back—waggon-loads of rabbits, the best rabbits money can buy—if they'll wait. Tell them to wait. ”

“ And, as the ball had rolled in his direction, he punted it up in an exceedingly dignified manner, the whole school keeping respectfully apart, until he had brought it to a reasonable distance from the goal, when he kicked it through with great solemnity, amidst faint, and it is to be feared somewhat sycophantic applause, and turned away with the air of a man surfeited of success.
'For which side did I win that?' he asked presently, whereupon Tipping explained that his side had been the favoured one. ”

“ What right had your governor to go and drown our rabbits, eh?' they cried wrathfully.
'What right?' said Paul. 'Mustn't a man do as he pleases in his own house, then? I—he was not obliged to see the house overrun with vermin, I suppose?'
But this only made them angrier, and they resented his defence with hoots, and groans, and hisses.
Mr. Blinkhorn meanwhile was pondering the affair conscientiously. At last he said, 'But you know the Doctor would never allow animals to be kept in the school, if Bultitude had brought them. ”

“ He was unpleasantly reminded, too, of the disfavour he had acquired amongst his companions, by some one or other of them running up to him every moment when the Doctor's attention was called elsewhere, and startling his nerves by a sly jog or pinch, or an abusive epithet hissed viciously into his ears—Chawner being especially industrious in this respect. ”