down for a ruddy First!" This was Douglas Whitney, of Balliol.

Carter's only answer to both these remarks was to drain a glass
of the port which Forbes was decanting.

"I say, Priapus, what vile port!" he said. "Is this some of the
vintage you crocked poor old Hinton with?"

"Any port in a storm, Falstaff," said the Goblin, mildly.

As Forbes was pouring out the coffee loud shouts of "Minters!"
greeted the next arrival. This was Johnny Blair of Tennessee and
Trinity, the only American among the Scorpions. Blair was a
Rhodes Scholar whose dulcet Southern drawl and quaint modes of
speech were a constant delight to his English comrades. His great
popularity in his own college was begun by his introduction of
mint julep, which had given him his nickname.

"Hello, Minters!" cried Forbes. "What cheer?"

"Large tabling and belly cheer," said Blair, quoting his
favourite Elizabethan author.

By the time Forbes had poured out eight cups of coffee and as
many glasses of wine, Keith, Graham, and Twiston had come in,
making the full gathering. There was much laughing and banter as
the men stood round the table or by the fire, lighting pipes and
cigarettes, and helping themselves to fruit and cake. Finally,
when everyone was settled in a semicircle round the fire, Forbes
hammered his coffee cup with a spoon. According to the custom of