Billy Bunter's Benefit By Frank Richards - Friardale

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Billy Bunter’s Benefit By Frank Richards “Oh, crumbs!” “You’ve got the tin,” said Bunter. “I jolly well know that! Well, lend it to me, see? It’s the only way now— the only way, you know, like the chap says in the play. Now I’ve been as good as diddled out of the prize—.” “Oh, scissors!” “You’ve been raising the wind, as I jolly well know. You’ve got the tin for the Remove Dramatic Society. You fixed it up to raise the three guineas, when Wharton stood out of. it, Well, look here, what I suggest is, that you lend it to me, instead of handing it over to Wibley for his silly theatrical stunt. What about that?” The five juniors in No. 1 Study gazed at the fat Owl. It was true that they had “raised the wind.” Some of them had had tips from home, others had sold things up and down the Remove—by one means or another, they had scrounged the requisite sum for the Remove Dramatic Society. It had required a very considerable amount of calculating, scraping, and scrounging. It had left them in a stony state. The idea of handing it over to William George Bunter seemed rather to take their breath away. “Only as a loan, of course,” added Bunter. “I’m expect ing a postal-order shortly. I’ve simply got to pay Parker, and owing to Wharton I shan’t get the prize now. It’s just the same amount, so it will see me through. I say, you fellows, you can see it’s the only way, can’t you?” “I suppose it’s no use talking to him,” remarked Bob Cherry, in a meditative way. “What about bumping him?” “Hear, hear!” “It’s the only way!” grinned Nugent. “Ha, ha, ha!” “I say, you fellows—leggo!” roared Bunter. “I say—wow!” Bump! Harry Wharton and Co. walked cheerfully out of No. I Study, and went down to the Rag. They left Billy Bunter sitting on the floor, gasping for breath—his financial problems more problematic than ever! CHAPTER XXX COKER’S LATEST! COKER frowned. Then he sniffed. This Combined Operation performed, Coker walked on, out of gates, regardless of his estranged pals, Potter and Greene, loafing in the gateway. Page 116 of 161
Billy Bunter’s Benefit By Frank Richards It was Wednesday afternoon. Coker had spent most of that half-holiday in his study, grinding out lines for Prout. But at last—at long last!—that awful “book” was done. Seven hundred and fifty-six lines had, at last, piled up on Coker’s table, the whole of the first book of the Aeneid from “arma virumque cano” to “fluctibus Aestas.” It had occupied all Coker’s leisure for days. It had driven cricket, and “Hamlet,” and almost everything else, from Coker’s mind. It had made him feel that life at Greyfriars was a delusion and a snare: that all was weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable. But it was done, at last, and Coker wearily gathered it up, and conveyed it to Prout’s study, and was through with it. After which, feeling the need of fresh air after his exertions, and having business in Courtfield, Coker took a walk abroad. He took that walk on his own, without a word to Potter or Greene. The estrangement was continuing. Coker was maintaining an attitude of lofty, frozen dignity and distance. Potter and Greene, on the other hand, could not help feeling that the rift in the lute had gone far enough. Certainly, they weren’t going to back Coker up in rows with the Remove. But they sagely considered that that “book” from Prout must have cured Coker of any desire for further shindies in the Rag. Certainly, too, they weren’t going to do Coker’s lines for him. But those lines were now done— the book finished and delivered to Prout. In these circumstances, there was no reason why the estrangement should continue: and old Horace, after all, was a pal! Moreover, they had heard Coker’s remark to Fitzgerald that he was going to Chunkley’s that afternoon, if he got that “book” done before tea. That did it! Chunkley’s Stores, at Courtfield, provided everything, from lawn-mowers and vacuum-cleaners to top-hats and tinned peaches. Best of all, it had a tea-room on magnificent and imposing lines, where, in happier and more friendly days, Coker had often stood munificent spreads to his friends. Potter and Greene had no doubt that Coker was going to tea at Chunkley’s, as he often did on a half-holiday. When Coker tea’d at Chunkley’s, he was a fellow worth knowing. On such an occasion Potter and Greene were prepared to overlook all differences, and to remember only that old Horace was a pal. They were lounging, as it were by chance, in the old stone gateway, when Coker came out. Potter ventured upon a friendly smile—Green nodded. If Coker wanted his friends to walk down to Chunkley’s with him, they were—ready and willing. Apparently, however, Coker didn’t. After the combined Operation of frowning and sniffing, Coker walked on regardless. His friends exchanged Page 117 of 161
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Billy Bunter's Benefit By Frank Richards - Friardale

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