Mike Read online

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  MIKE

  A PUBLIC SCHOOL STORY

  BYP. G. WODEHOUSE

  CONTAINING TWELVE FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONSBY T. M. R. WHITWELL

  LONDON1909.

  [Illustration (Frontispiece): "ARE YOU THE M. JACKSON THEN WHO HAD ANAVERAGE OF FIFTY ONE POINT NOUGHT THREE LAST YEAR?"]

  [Dedication]TOALAN DURAND

  CONTENTS

  CHAPTERI. MIKE

  II. THE JOURNEY DOWN

  III. MIKE FINDS A FRIENDLY NATIVE

  IV. AT THE NETS

  V. REVELRY BY NIGHT

  VI. IN WHICH A TIGHT CORNER IS EVADED

  VII. IN WHICH MIKE IS DISCUSSED

  VIII. A ROW WITH THE TOWN

  IX. BEFORE THE STORM

  X. THE GREAT PICNIC

  XI. THE CONCLUSION OF THE PICNIC

  XII. MIKE GETS HIS CHANCE

  XIII. THE M.C.C. MATCH

  XIV. A SLIGHT IMBROGLIO

  XV. MIKE CREATES A VACANCY

  XVI. AN EXPERT EXAMINATION

  XVII. ANOTHER VACANCY

  XVIII. BOB HAS NEWS TO IMPART

  XIX. MIKE GOES TO SLEEP AGAIN

  XX. THE TEAM IS FILLED UP

  XXI. MARJORY THE FRANK

  XXII. WYATT IS REMINDED OF AN ENGAGEMENT

  XXIII. A SURPRISE FOR MR. APPLEBY

  XXIV. CAUGHT

  XXV. MARCHING ORDERS

  XXVI. THE AFTERMATH

  XXVII. THE RIPTON MATCH

  XXVIII. MIKE WINS HOME

  XXIX. WYATT AGAIN

  XXX. MR. JACKSON MAKES UP HIS MIND

  XXXI. SEDLEIGH

  XXXII. PSMITH

  XXXIII. STAKING OUT A CLAIM

  XXXIV. GUERILLA WARFARE

  XXXV. UNPLEASANTNESS IN THE SMALL HOURS

  XXXVI. ADAIR

  XXXVII. MIKE FINDS OCCUPATION

  XXXVIII. THE FIRE BRIGADE MEETING

  XXXIX. ACHILLES LEAVES HIS TENT

  XL. THE MATCH WITH DOWNING'S

  XLI. THE SINGULAR BEHAVIOUR OF JELLICOE

  XLII. JELLICOE GOES ON THE SICK-LIST

  XLIII. MIKE RECEIVES A COMMISSION

  XLIV. AND FULFILS IT

  XLV. PURSUIT

  XLVI. THE DECORATION OF SAMMY

  XLVII. MR. DOWNING ON THE SCENT

  XLVIII. THE SLEUTH-HOUND

  XLIX. A CHECK

  L. THE DESTROYER OF EVIDENCE

  LI. MAINLY ABOUT BOOTS

  LII. ON THE TRAIL AGAIN

  LIII. THE KETTLE METHOD

  LIV. ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE

  LV. CLEARING THE AIR

  LVI. IN WHICH PEACE IS DECLARED

  LVII. MR. DOWNING MOVES

  LVIII. THE ARTIST CLAIMS HIS WORK

  LIX. SEDLEIGH _v._ WRYKYN

  LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

  BY T. M. R. WHITWELL

  "ARE YOU THE M. JACKSON, THEN, WHO HAD AN AVERAGE OF FIFTY-ONE POINTNOUGHT THREE LAST YEAR?"

  THE DARK WATERS WERE LASHED INTO A MAELSTROM

  "DON'T _LAUGH_, YOU GRINNING APE"

  "DO--YOU--SEE, YOU FRIGHTFUL KID?"

  "WHAT'S ALL THIS ABOUT JIMMY WYATT?"

  MIKE AND THE BALL ARRIVED ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY

  "WHAT THE DICKENS ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

  PSMITH SEIZED AND EMPTIED JELLICOE'S JUG OVER SPILLER

  "WHY DID YOU SAY YOU DIDN'T PLAY CRICKET?" HE ASKED

  "WHO--" HE SHOUTED, "WHO HAS DONE THIS?"

  "DID--YOU--PUT--THAT--BOOT--THERE, SMITH?"

  MIKE DROPPED THE SOOT-COVERED OBJECT IN THE FENDER