The room contained seven other beds besides their own, two of which were
as yet still vacant, waiting the arrival of boys who had not turned up
on the first day. The remainder were occupied by a couple of other
new-comers, and three oldsters, Carton, Hart, and Bayley.

It was very different from the cosy little bedrooms at The Birches; but
the three friends were glad to be allowed to undress in peace and quiet,
and had scrambled safely into bed some time before the prefect put in an
appearance to turn out the light.

"I tell you what," said Hart, a few moments later: "you new kids may
think yourselves lucky that you're in a quiet room for a start. I know
when I came first there used to be christenings and all kinds of
humbug."

"What was that?" asked Diggory.

"Why, fellows used always to christen you with a nickname: they stuck
your head in a basin and poured water over you, and if you struggled you
got it all down your back."

"Yes," continued Carton, "and they hid your clothes, and had bull-fights
and all sorts of foolery. That was in _Nineteen_: old 'Thirsty' was the
prefect for that passage, and he doesn't care tu'pence what fellows do.
But Allingford's put a stop to almost all that kind of thing: he's
captain of the school, and he's always awfully down on anything of that
sort."

By the time breakfast was over on the following morning, Diggory and his