Other editions of book Stalky & Co.

This work as a part of the knowledge base of civilization was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.This is a pre-1923 historical reproduction that was curated for quality. Quality assurance was conducted on each of these books in an attempt to remove books with imperfections introduced by the digitization process. Though we have made best efforts. We believe this work is culturally important and have elected to bring the book back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.In summer all right-minded boys built huts in the furze-hill behind the College—little lairs whittled out of the heart of the prickly bushes, full of stumps, odd root-ends, and spikes, but, since they were strictly forbidden, palaces of delight. And for the fifth summer in succession, Stalky, McTurk, and Beetle (this was before they reached the dignity of a study) had built like beavers a place of retreat and meditation, where they smoked. Now, there was nothing in their characters as known to Mr. Prout, their house-master, at all commanding respect; nor did Foxy, the subtle red-haired school Sergeant, trust them. His business was to wear tennisshoes, carry binoculars, and swoop hawklike upon evil boys. Had he taken the field alone, that hut would have been raided, for Foxy knew the manners of his quarry; but Providence moved Mr. Prout, whose schoolname, derived from the size of his feet, was Hoofer, to investigate on his own account; and it was the cautious Stalky who found the track of his pugs on the very floor of their lair one peaceful afternoon when Stalky would fain have forgotten Prout and his works in a volume of Surtees and a new briar-wood pipe. Crusoe, at sight of the footprint, did not act more swiftly than Stalky. He removed the pipes, swept up all loose match-ends, and departed to warn Beetle and McTurk. But it was characteristic of the boy that he did not approach his allies till he had met and conferred with little Hartopp, President of the Natural History Society, an institution which Stalky held in contempt, Hartopp was more than surprised when the boy meekly, as he knew how, begged to propose himself, Beetle, and McTurk as candidates; confessed to a long-smothered interest in first-flowerings, early butterflies, and new arrivals, and volunteered, if Mr. Hartopp saw fit, to enter on the new life at once. Being a master, Hartopp was suspicious; but he was also an enthusiast, and his gentle little soul had been galled by chance-heard remarks from the three, and specially Beetle. So he was gracious to that repentant sinner, and entered the three names in his book.

In summer all right-minded boys built huts in the furze-hill behind the College—littlelairs whittled out of the heart of the prickly bushes, full of stumps, odd root-ends, andspikes, but, since they were strictly forbidden, palaces of delight. And for the fifth summerin succession, Stalky, McTurk, and Beetle (this was before they reached the dignity of astudy) had built like beavers a place of retreat and meditation, where they smoked.Now, there was nothing in their characters as known to Mr. Prout, their house-master, atall commanding respect; nor did Foxy, the subtle red-haired school Sergeant, trust them.His business was to wear tennis-shoes, carry binoculars, and swoop hawklike upon evilboys. Had he taken the field alone, that hut would have been raided, for Foxy knew themanners of his quarry; but Providence moved Mr. Prout, whose school-name, derived fromthe size of his feet, was Hoofer, to investigate on his own account; and it was the cautiousStalky who found the track of his pugs on the very floor of their lair one peaceful afternoonwhen Stalky would fain have forgotten Prout and his works in a volume of Surtees and anew briar-wood pipe. Crusoe, at sight of the footprint, did not act more swiftly than Stalky.He removed the pipes, swept up all loose match-ends, and departed to warn Beetle andMcTurk.But it was characteristic of the boy that he did not approach his allies till he had met andconferred with little Hartopp, President of the Natural History Society, an institution whichStalky held in contempt, Hartopp was more than surprised when the boy meekly, as heknew how, begged to propose himself, Beetle, and McTurk as candidates; confessed to along-smothered interest in first-flowerings, early butterflies, and new arrivals, andvolunteered, if Mr. Hartopp saw fit, to enter on the new life at once. Being a master,Hartopp was suspicious; but he was also an enthusiast, and his gentle little soul had beengalled by chance-heard remarks from the three, and specially Beetle. So he was gracious tothat repentant sinner, and entered the three names in his book.Then, and not till then, did Stalky seek Beetle and McTurk in their house form-room.They were stowing away books for a quiet afternoon in the furze, which they called the“wuzzy.”

Kipling portrays school as the first stage of a much larger game, a pattern maker for the experiences of life. Implied throughout the book is the question 'What happened to the fifteen-year boys, and how did the lessons they learned at school apply to the world of warfare and imperial government?' These stories are based on Kipling's own schooling, the United Services College at Westward Ho! in Devon.

In summer all right-minded boys built huts in the furze-hill behind the College—little lairs whittled out of the heart of the prickly bushes, full of stumps, odd root-ends, and spikes, but, since they were strictly forbidden, palaces of delight. And for the fifth summer in succession, Stalky, McTurk, and Beetle (this was before they reached the dignity of a study) had built like beavers a place of retreat and meditation, where they smoked.