"Then you'll be knuckled;" and knuckled they were, according to
ancient experience. Head-knuckling is no trifle; "Molly" Fairburn of
the old days could not have done better.

"Did you give Clewer Brush-drill?" This time the question was answered
sooner, and Brush-drill was dealt out for the space of five minutes
by Stalky's watch. They could not even writhe in their bonds. No
brush is employed in Brush-drill.

"Did you give Clewer the Key?"

"No; we didn't. I swear we didn't!" from Campbell, rolling in agony.

"Then we'll give it to you, so you can see what it would be like if
you had."

The torture of the Key--which has no key at all--hurts excessively.
They endured several minutes of it, and their language necessitated
the gag.

"Did you give Clewer Corkscrews?"

"Yes. Oh, curse your silly souls! Let us alone, you cads."

They were corkscrewed, and the torture of the Corkscrew--this has
nothing to do with corkscrews--is keener than the torture of the
Key.

The method and silence of the attacks was breaking their nerves.