I wish I'd some beer." "Well, why shouldn't we get some ?" said Wildney "it would he very jolly." "Get some! What! at this time of night ?" "Yes; I'll go now, if you like, to Ellan, and be back before ten." "Nonsense," said Eric; "it aint worth while." "I believe you think I'm afraid," said Wildney, laughing, and looking at Eric with his dark eyes; "and what's more, I believe _you're_ afraid." "Little whippersnapper!" said Eric, coloring, "as if I was afraid to do anything _you_ dare do.

I'll go with you at once, if you like." "What are you thinking of ?" asked Duncan.

"I don't care twopence about the beer, and I hope you won't go." "But I will, though," said Eric, a little nettled that Wildney, of all people, should think him wanting in pluck.
"But how will you get out ?" "Oh, _I'll_ show you a dodge there," said Wildney.

"Come along.

Have you a dark lantern ?" "No, but I'll get Llewellyn's." "Come along then." So the little boy of twelve took the initiative, and, carrying the dark lantern, instructed the two study-boys of sixteen in a secret which had long been known to the lower part of the school.
"Ibant obscuri dubia sub luce." He led them quietly down stairs, stole with them noiselessly past the library door, and took them to a window in the passage, where a pane was broken.
"Could you get through that ?" he whispered to Eric, "if we broke away the rest of the glass ?" "I don't know.