"We are the Blood-stained Brotherhood of the Pampas, now upon the
trail!"

"Look here," said I, staring down at him, "that's nonsense!"

"Oh, very well," he answered promptly; "then we're the 'Backward Sons
of Gentlemen'--that's down in the prospectus--and we're fetching
water for Mother Stimcoe, because the turncock cut off the company's
water this morning! See? But you won't blow the gaff on the old
girl, will you?"

"Are you all there is, you three?" I asked, after considering them a
moment.

"We're all the boarders. My name's Ted Bates--they call me Doggy
Bates--and my father's a captain out in India; and these are Bob
Pilkington and Scotty Maclean. You may call him Redhead, being too
big to punch; and, talking of that, you'll have to fight Bully
Stokes."

"Is he a day-boy?" I asked.

"He's cock of Rogerses up the hill, and he wants it badly.
Stimcoes and Rogerses are hated rivals. If you can whack Bully
Stokes for us--"

"But Mrs. Stimcoe told me that you were taking a walk with the
butler," I interrupted.

Master Bates winked.