Bunter the Caravanner - Friardale

'Your caravan!' said Bob Cherry, blankly.
'Mine!' assented Bunter.
'You've got a caravan for the hols!' exclaimed Johnny Bull.
'Haven't I just said so?' sniffed Bunter.
'Got it in your trousers' pocket?' inquired Johnny,
sarcastically.
'I've jolly well got it, anyhow.' retorted Bunter, 'and I can
tell you it's a jolly good caravan - none of your cheap do's -
jolly good roomy van, and a jolly good horse, and a man-servant
to look after us - what more do you want?'
'One of the crowd of men-servants from Bunter Court, I suppose?'
inquired Johnny Bull, still sarcastic.
'An old servant of the family,' answered Bunter, calmly. 'Man
named Jervis - very useful handy man, and knows his place. He
will make himself jolly useful.'
The chums of the Remove gazed at him.
They had decided, after deep discussion, that their own combined
resources would not run to a caravan for the hols. That Billy
Bunter, the most impecunious fellow in the Remove, the borrower
of shillings and sixpences, the fellow who was always expecting
a postal-order that never came, had at his disposal the article
that was beyond their means, with a man-servant thrown in, was a
little too steep. In fact it was very much too steep for belief.
'Is that a joke?' asked Harry Wharton, at last.
'Oh, really, Wharton—'
'Tell us another funny story!' suggested Nugent.
'The funnifulness of the story is terrific,' remarked Hurree
Jamset Ram Singh. 'Is this where we laugh, my esteemed and
idiotic Bunter?'
'Oh, really, Inky—'
'Roll away, you fat chump, and shut the door after you!' said
Johnny Bull.
'Well, if that's what you call civil; when a chap's asking you
for an expensive caravan holiday, all expenses paid—'
'Oh, my hat!' ejaculated Bob. 'All expenses paid, too!'
'Well, of course, there would be incidental expenses, which you
fellows would have to stand,' admitted Bunter. 'But the van
wouldn't cost you anything, or the horse, and they're the chief
items. And you'd get my man Jervis's services for nothing, too!
It was like the fat Owl of the Remove to 'spread' himself. Mr.
Jervis had already become 'my man Jervis' in his fat mind.
'Don't you like the idea?' asked Bunter.
'Oh, no end,' said Harry Wharton, laughing. 'If there is a
caravan—'
'If!' grunted Johnny Bull.
'Well, if there is a caravan, are you coming?' asked Bunter.
'I'm asking you for the hols in my caravan. I'd like you to
come. I've had the hols sometimes at your little place, Wharton.
Well now I'm asking you. Coming?'