Billy Bunter's Benefit By Frank Richards - Friardale

Billy Bunter’s Benefit
By Frank Richards
to venture into that apartment on his solitary own to deal with the cheeky
fags there. He did not want to be frog’s-marched round the table again.
This time he was going to have the support and assistance of his pals.
“As soon as they start,” continued Coker, “we get going. When you fellows
have finished tea—if you don’t want to go on eating for ever! —we’ll get
along to the Rag. I chuck the door open—we rush in—and I fancy they
won’t be able to handle three Fifth-form men, what?”
“They’d jolly well try,” said Potter.
“Let them!” said Coker.
“Might be a dozen of them—,” said Greene.
“I don’t care if there’s two dozen.”
“Um!” said Potter and Greene.
Coker finished his eggs. He rose from the table. Potter and Greene were
looking at one another somewhat uncertainly. They did not want a row
with Coker. Still less did they want a row with a horde of Lower boys in
the Rag. They were rather in a dilemma.
“Ready?” asked Coker. “It’s six—and they had the nerve to put up a notice
of rehearsal at six—after what I told them quite plainly, you know.”
“Look here, Coker,” said Potter, as if struck by a sudden bright idea. “Let
them rip. They’re not worth your notice really. I should simply ignore
them, Coker, if I were you!”
“But you’re not me!” Coker pointed out. “If you were, you’d have as much
sense as I have, and you wouldn’t waste time jawing. Come on.”
“But look here—,” said Greene, in dismay.
“Aren’t you ready?” rapped Coker.
“Oh! No! Yes! But—.”
“Well, come on, then,” rapped Coker, impatiently. “I’ve told you. I want
you to back me up. We’re going to give those cheeky fags a lesson. I’ll give
‘em rehearsing ‘Hamlet,’ after I’ve told them plainly to chuck it! For
goodness sake, you men, get a move on, and don’t slack about.”
Thus adjured, Potter and Greene reluctantly rose. Coker was ready—full
of beans: prepared to exemplify, once more, the truth of the proverb
that fools rush in where angels fear to tread. Potter and Greene were not
ready— indeed, Ethelred of old times was not more unready than they!
Not only were they far from keen on getting mixed up in a shindy in the
junior day-room. They were quite determined that they weren’t going to
get mixed up in a shindy in the junior day-room! Argument with Coker of
the Fifth was futile. Coker regarded himself as one having authority,
saying “Do this!” and he doeth it! Argument rolled off him like water off a
duck. Potter and Greene followed Coker from the study, not with the
intention of joining Coker in rousing out a wasp’s nest in the Rag. If that
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