Billy Bunter's Benefit By Frank Richards - Friardale

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Billy Bunter’s Benefit By Frank Richards was what Horace Coker wanted, Horace Coker was welcome to enjoy it all on his own. They went down the staircase, Coker brisk, Potter and Greene reluctant. They dropped a little behind Coker, and exchanged a wink and a whisper. Coker looked round. “Do come on,” he rapped. “They’ll have started—it’s past six.” “Coming, old chap!” “Well, come, then,” yapped Coker. They arrived at the door of the Rag. That door was closed, but the sound of voices could be heard within. Evidently a good many fellows were there, and it seemed that the rehearsal of the Remove Dramatic Society was in progress. “Listen to the cheeky little ticks,” said Coker, breathing indignation. “They’re going it! Just listen! After I told them, as plainly as any fellow could speak, that they’d got to chuck it! That’s young Wharton doing Horatio. I’ll jolly well give him Horatio!” Harry Wharton’s voice came quite plainly through the old oak door, in the part of Horatio in Act I, Scene I. “Such was the very armour he had on When he the ambitious Norway combated, So frowned he once, when in an angry parle, He smote the sledded Polacks on the ice.” “Now!” said Coker. He hurled open the door of the Rag. He rushed in. It was the cue of Potter and Greene to rush in at his heels. But they did not take their cue. As Coker rushed into the Rag, Potter and Greene made backward steps, turned, and disappeared down the passage. They vanished like the Ghost in “Hamlet” at cockcrow. Coker charged into the Rag on his own! “HALLO, hallo, hallo!” “What—.” “Coker—.” “Get out!” shrieked Wibley. CHAPTER XIX HORRID FOR HORACE Page 72 of 161
Billy Bunter’s Benefit By Frank Richards “Oh, my hat!” There were a dozen Removites in the Rag. They all had their script in hand. The rehearsal had started, under William Wibley’s able direction. Wibley often got a little excited at rehearsal. Like a true artist, he was never quite satisfied with the efforts of others to reach his own high level of perfection! But so far, all was calm and bright. Harry Wharton was delivering Horatio’s lines in a manner that almost satisfied even Wibley. Other fellows were ready to take their cues. The Remove Dramatic Society were intent on the work in progress. And then—. Then Coker charged in. The R.D.S. were taken quite by surprise. Coker, big and brawny and beefy, went through the Remove Dramatic Society like a scythe through grass. Hamlet and Horatio, Laertes and Polonius and Ohpelia, King and Queen and Ghost, were scattered right and left. It was almost as if the general destruction in the last act of “Hamlet” had been transferred to the first act. Five or six fellows were on the floor, yelling. William Wibley almost danced with rage. Coker’s charge caused general havoc. But that was only for the moment. “Collar him!” shrieked Wibley. “Grab him!” yelled Vernon-Smith. “Boot him!” roared Bob Cherry. “Squash him!” “Bag him!” The scattered Removites rallied. They forgot all about “Hamlet.” Even Wibley, for the moment, forgot that rehearsal was on, in his eagerness to get at Coker for interrupting it. The juniors fairly hurled themselves at Coker. “Back up, you men!” roared Coker, as he was attacked on all sides. “Potter—Greene—come on—back up!” But answer there was none. Potter and Greene were not “on” in that scene! They were off! Coker was left to deal with the wasp’s nest he had stirred up. Collared on all sides, resisting heroically, Coker went down on the floor of the Rag, almost disappearing from sight under the Remove Dramatic Society. He struggled and roared. “Potter! Greene! Back up! Do you hear?” “Shut that door!” shouted Wibley. The door banged and the key was turned. If Coker had reinforcements at hand, it was too late for them to come to Coker’s aid. In point of fact, his Page 73 of 161
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Billy Bunter's Benefit By Frank Richards - Friardale

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