Explore "Stalky and Co" by Rudyard Kipling on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
It was winter and bitter cold of mornings. Consequently Stalky and Beetle -- McTurk being of the offensive type that makes ornate toilet under all circumstances -- drowsed till the last moment before turning out to call-over in the gas-lit gymnasium. It followed that they were often late; and since every unpunctuality earned them a black mark, and since three black marks a week meant defaulters' drill, equally it followed that they spent hours under the Sergeant's hand. Foxy drilled the defaulters with all the pomp of his old parade-ground. "Don't think it's any pleasure to me" (his introduction never varied). "I'd much sooner be smoking a quiet pipe in my own quarters -- but I see we ‘ave the Old Brigade on our ‘ands this afternoon. If I only ‘ad you regular, Muster Corkran," said he, dressing the line.
"You've had me for nearly six weeks, you old glutton. Number off from the right!"