Billy Bunter's Benefit By Frank Richards - Friardale

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Billy Bunter’s Benefit By Frank Richards a glance. “Still on the high horse!” sighed Potter. “Same old chucklehead!” agreed Greene. “It’s rather rotten, though, a row going on in the Study,” said Potter. “Makes things pretty uncomfortable all round. I think it’s up to us to let Coker see that we’re not unfriendly.” “Give him a chance,” agreed Greene. And they walked out of gates after Coker. Coker’s long legs covered the ground at a good rate. But his anxious friends put on speed, and overtook him. “Walking over to Chunkley’s, Coker?” asked Potter, casually. “Yes!” said Coker, curtly, without turning his head. “No time to come down to the nets?” asked Potter. “No!” said Coker, with the same curtness. “Another time, perhaps.” suggested Potter. “I’m rather anxious to get some really good bowling, when you’ve got time.” It was quite a charming characteristic of Coker’s that his leg could be pulled with the greatest of ease, He thawed visibly. “Well, when I come back, perhaps,” he said, relenting. “I don’t mind giving you some bowling, if you come to that, I’m going to Chunkley’s now.” He walked on. Potter and Greene walked on, on either side of him. It was quite like old times. The subject of cricket having been started, Coker thawed still further, and proceeded to give Potter and Greene the benefit of his expert knowledge of that great game, to which they listened with such keen attention that they seemed to be hanging on his words. When Coker was talking, all he required from his hearers was an occasional “Yes” or “Just so!” Potter, on the left, said “Yes”; Greene, on the right, said “Just so!”—and in a very few minutes the happy old friendly atmosphere was re-established. But cricket did not last as a topic. Other matters were in Coker’s mind. Half-way across the common, he changed the subject. “They’ve got pretty nearly everything at Chunkley’s Stores,” he remarked, thoughtfully. “Pretty near,” agreed Potter, thinking of poached eggs. cold chickens, cakes, eclairs, meringues, and other such attractive things—all available in the tea-room at Chunkley’s, in company with a fellow whose pocket-money was practically unlimited. “I expect they’ll have what I want,” said Coker, with a nod. “If not, we must try some other show,” It was already “we”: just like old times! “Oh, sure to,” said Greene. “You can order practically anything you want in Page 118 of 161
Billy Bunter’s Benefit By Frank Richards the tea-room there.” Coker laughed. “They wouldn’t have them in the tea-room,” he said. “Why?” Potter and Greene exchanged a glance across Coker. They had taken it for granted that Coker was going to Chunkley’s to tea. What else was a fellow to think? Now it suddenly occurred to them that possibly Coker’s business at Chunkley’s was in some other department, and that tea was not featured in the programme at all! And they had already walked a mile! “Well, dash it all, they’d hardly stock stink-bombs in the tea-room.” Coker laughed at the idea. “Stink-bombs!” repeated Potter and Greene, blankly. “That’s what I’m going for,” said Coker. They could only blink at him. Coker was, as they knew, every kind of an ass. But that even Coker could be ass enough to play about with stinkbombs, they would never have guessed. There were naughty fags at Greyfriars who thought it funny to play tricks with such horrid things. But Coker, after all, was in the Fifth, ass as he was. Was it possible—? “I—I say—,” Potter stammered. “What—what’s the big idea?” “I’ve thought it out, you know, about those cheeky Remove fags,” explained Coker. “I’d have told you fellows before if you hadn’t been in the sulks. You know that fag gang are keeping on with ‘Hamlet’—.” Potter and Greene groaned inwardly. They had indulged a hope that they had heard the last of that. Evidently, they hadn’t. “Of course, I’m not allowing it, went on Coker. “They’re carrying on, just as if I hadn’t spoken a word on the subject. Well, I’ve a short way with fags, as they will find.” “But—!” stuttered Greene. “I’ve got it all cut and dried,” said Coker, complacently. “They’ve fixed the date of the performance—next week, in the Rag. Well, let ‘em get on with it. I fancy they won’t get very far—not much further than the Ghost, I fancy.” Coker chuckled. “As soon as the curtain goes up, the stink-bombs come down.” “Wha-a-t?” “Easy as falling off a form,” said Coker. “All it needed was brains, to think it out. Well, I’ve got brains.” Potter and Greene did not venture to express their strong doubts of that statement. They only stared at Coker. “You know that trap-door in the roof, over the dormitory passage,” went on Coker. “It’s for use in case of fire—ladder all handy, too. Easy as winking to get out on the roof there, what?” Page 119 of 161
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Billy Bunter's Benefit By Frank Richards - Friardale

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