Mike (Wodehouse)

by P. G. Wodehouse

MIKE

A PUBLIC SCHOOL STORY

BY

P. G. WODEHOUSE
AUTHOR OF "THE GOLD BAT," "A PREFECT'S
UNCLE" ETC.

CONTAINING TWELVE FULL PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS

BY

T. M. R. WHITWELL

A. & C. BLACK, LTD.

4, 5 & 6 SOHO SQUARE, LONDON, W. 1.

1919

First published September, 1909.
Reprinted in 1910, 1916, and 1919.

PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN
BY
BILLING AND SONS, LTD., GUILDFORD.

"ARE YOU THE M. JACKSON, THEN, WHO HAD AN AVERAGE OF
FIFTY-ONE POINT NOUGHT THREE LAST YEAR?"⁠p. 225

TO

ALAN DURAND

CONTENTS

CHAP.		PAGE
I.	MIKE	1
II.	THE JOURNEY DOWN	7
III.	MIKE FINDS A FRIENDLY NATIVE	13
IV.	AT THE NETS	19
V.	REVELRY BY NIGHT	24
VI.	IN WHICH A TIGHT CORNER IS EVADED	32
VII.	IN WHICH MIKE IS DISCUSSED	37
VIII.	A ROW WITH THE TOWN	43
IX.	BEFORE THE STORM	50
X.	THE GREAT PICNIC	56
XI.	THE CONCLUSION OF THE PICNIC	61
XII.	MIKE GETS HIS CHANCE	66
XIII.	THE M.C.C. MATCH	72
XIV.	A SLIGHT IMBROGLIO	80
XV.	MIKE CREATES A VACANCY	85
XVI.	AN EXPERT EXAMINATION	91
XVII.	ANOTHER VACANCY	97
XVIII.	BOB HAS NEWS TO IMPART	102
XIX.	MIKE GOES TO SLEEP AGAIN	107
XX.	THE TEAM IS FILLED UP	113
XXI.	MARJORY THE FRANK	118
XXII.	WYATT IS REMINDED OF AN ENGAGEMENT	125
XXIII.	A SURPRISE FOR MR. APPLEBY	130
XXIV.	CAUGHT	135
XXV.	MARCHING ORDERS	140
XXVI.	THE AFTERMATH	144
XXVII.	THE RIPTON MATCH	149
XXVIII.	MIKE WINS HOME	155
XXIX.	WYATT AGAIN	166
XXX.	MR. JACKSON MAKES UP HIS MIND	169
XXXI.	SEDLEIGH	174
XXXII.	PSMITH	179
XXXIII.	STAKING OUT A CLAIM	183
XXXIV.	GUERILLA WARFARE	189
XXXV.	UNPLEASANTNESS IN THE SMALL HOURS	196
XXXVI.	ADAIR	202
XXXVII.	MIKE FINDS OCCUPATION	207
XXXVIII.	THE FIRE BRIGADE MEETING	213
XXXIX.	ACHILLES LEAVES HIS TENT	220
XL.	THE MATCH WITH DOWNING'S	225
XLI.	THE SINGULAR BEHAVIOUR OF JELLICOE	234
XLII.	JELLICOE GOES ON THE SICK-LIST	239
XLIII.	MIKE RECEIVES A COMMISSION	243
XLIV.	AND FULFILS IT	248
XLV.	PURSUIT	253
XLVI.	THE DECORATION OF SAMMY	260
XLVII.	MR. DOWNING ON THE SCENT	263
XLVIII.	THE SLEUTH-HOUND	269
XLIX.	A CHECK	275
L.	THE DESTROYER OF EVIDENCE	281
LI.	MAINLY ABOUT BOOTS	287
LII.	ON THE TRAIL AGAIN	294
LIII.	THE KETTLE METHOD	297
LIV.	ADAIR HAS A WORD WITH MIKE	303
LV.	CLEARING THE AIR	308
LVI.	IN WHICH PEACE IS DECLARED	314
LVII.	MR. DOWNING MOVES	319
LVIII.	THE ARTIST CLAIMS HIS WORK	326
LIX.	SEDLEIGH v. WRYKYN	334

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

BY T. M. R. WHITWELL

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

Frontispiece

FACING PAGE

THE DARK WATERS WERE LASHED INTO A MAELSTROM

48

"DON'T LAUGH, YOU GRINNING APE"

84

"DO—YOU—SEE, YOU FRIGHTFUL KID?"

110

"WHAT'S ALL THIS ABOUT JIMMY WYATT?"

144

MIKE AND THE BALL ARRIVED ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY

164

"WHAT THE DICKENS ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

184

PSMITH SEIZED AND EMPTIED JELLICOE'S JUG OVER SPILLER

200

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

228

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

264

"DID—YOU—PUT—THAT—BOOT—THERE, SMITH?"

292

MIKE DROPPED THE SOOT-COVERED OBJECT IN THE FENDER

324