Mike (novel) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Mike

First edition
Author	P. G. Wodehouse
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Genre	School story
Publisher	A & C Black
Publication date	15 September 1909
Media type	Print (hardcover)
Followed by	Psmith in the City
Text	Mike at Wikisource

Mike is an exciting school story written by P. G. Wodehouse. It was first published on September 15, 1909. A "school story" is a type of book that takes place mostly at a boarding school. It often follows the adventures of students and their friends.

This book first appeared in a magazine called The Captain. It was split into two parts. The first part was later called Mike at Wrykyn. The second part was called Mike and Psmith in later editions. Even though it was one of his earlier books, Wodehouse himself thought Mike was his best work!

Meet Mike Jackson

The first part of the story introduces Michael "Mike" Jackson. Mike comes from a famous cricket family. His older brother, Joe, is a great professional player. Another brother, Bob, is almost good enough for his school team.

When Mike arrives at Wrykyn school, he is a talented cricket player. He also loves adventure. These traits bring him both success and some tricky situations!

Mike's New School: Sedleigh

The second part of the story happens two years later. Mike's father takes him out of Wrykyn. This is because Mike's school reports are not very good. He is sent to a smaller school called Sedleigh.

At Sedleigh, Mike meets a unique boy named Rupert Psmith. Psmith is also new to the school. He has come from Eton. Mike and Psmith quickly become friends. They decide not to play cricket. Instead, they join other school clubs.

Mike's Adventures at Wrykyn

Starting at Wrykyn

Mike is leaving his old school to go to Wrykyn. His sisters hope he will join the school cricket team right away. But his brother Bob and the cricket coach are not so sure.

On the train to Wrykyn, Mike meets a stranger. Mike sees the boy get off the train without his bag. Mike throws the bag onto the platform. But the boy returns at the next stop! It turns out the stranger is Firby-Smith. He is the head of Wain's house, which Mike is joining.

Cricket and Trouble

Mike soon meets and becomes friends with Wyatt. Wyatt is Mr. Wain's stepson. Wyatt asks Burgess, the cricket captain, to let Mike try out. Mike plays very well and gets on the third team.

Later, Mike gets to play for the first team. This happens after Wyatt is involved in a fight. Some students fight a gang from Wrykyn town. A policeman ends up in a pond! The policeman tells the headmaster an exaggerated story. He claims hundreds of boys threw him in.

The headmaster punishes the school by canceling a holiday. In response, Wyatt organizes a big walk-out. Most of the school goes with him to a nearby town. For this, the younger boys are punished with a cane. The older boys get extra detention during a cricket match. This match is against the M.C.C..

Mike Joins the First Team

Because of the punishments, there are open spots on the team. Wyatt convinces Burgess to let Mike play. Mike plays well in the M.C.C. match. He scores 23 runs without getting out. His brother Joe and the coach Saunders are on the other team.

In a later house match, Firby-Smith causes Mike to get out. Mike insults him. Firby-Smith wants Mike to be punished. But Bob convinces him not to. Mike is grateful. He realizes he has taken Bob's spot on the team. So, Mike pretends to sprain his wrist. This way, Bob gets to play instead of him.

Soon after, a boy brings chickenpox to the school. One of the first-team players gets sick. This gives Mike another chance to play. He plays okay in a difficult game. Bob tells him he thinks Mike has secured his spot on the first team.

More Challenges

But the next day, Mike makes Firby-Smith angry again. He misses early morning fielding practice for the house. When Burgess hears Firby-Smith's story, he chooses Bob over Mike.

Neville-Smith, a bowler, takes the other spot on the team. He plans a party at his house. Wyatt sneaks out of school to go. A teacher sees him leaving. The teacher tells Mr. Wain. Mr. Wain waits in Mike's room for Wyatt to return. He tells Wyatt he must leave school and take a job at a bank.

Mike takes Wyatt's place on the team. He also convinces his father to help Wyatt. His father uses his connections in Argentina to find Wyatt a better job.

The Big Match

Wrykyn plays against their biggest rivals, Ripton. Wrykyn is short on good bowlers. But both Jackson brothers are playing. The cricket field is wet from rain. Ripton scores many runs. They also have a strong bowler who throws tricky "googlies".

Wrykyn starts badly. But their luck changes when the brothers bat together. Bob gets out, but he gives Mike time to get comfortable. With the rest of the team helping him, Mike skillfully hits the ball. He finishes with 83 runs, not out. Wrykyn wins the match!

Mike and Psmith at Sedleigh

A New School, New Friends

Mike has been at Wrykyn for two more years. He is supposed to become cricket captain next term. But during the Easter holidays, his father gets Mike's bad report card. He takes Mike out of Wrykyn. He sends him to Sedleigh, a much smaller school.

Mike arrives at Sedleigh feeling upset. He meets Mr Outwood, the head of his house. Then Mike meets a well-dressed boy with a monocle. The boy introduces himself as Psmith. The "P" in his name is silent. He added it himself to be different from other Smiths. He is from Eton. Like Mike, he is a new student.

Mike and Psmith decide not to play cricket. Instead, they join Mr. Outwood's archaeological society. They become friends with a boy named Jellicoe. The three boys share a dormitory.

Avoiding Cricket

The next day, they meet Adair, the school cricket captain. They also meet house-master Mr Downing. Both are disappointed that the new boys refuse to play cricket. Both Psmith and Mike pretend they know nothing about cricket. Mike later regrets this decision.

Their archaeology trips are boring. One day, Mike and Psmith wander off. Mike runs into an old cricket friend. His friend offers him a spot on a local village team. Mike enjoys playing these games. But he keeps his village cricket a secret.

Mike's Secret Revealed

Mike eventually reveals his cricket past. He is convinced to play in an upcoming house match. This is to get back at Mr. Downing. Downing unfairly favors his own house. The game ends with Mike scoring 277 runs, not out. Downing's team does not even get to bat.

Mike agrees to deliver money for his roommate, Jellicoe. The money is for a pub owner in Wrykyn town. Mike finds out the money was not actually owed. He returns to Wrykyn. He tries to get back into his house. But Downing chases him. Mike rings the school fire bell. He escapes in the confusion.

The Painted Dog

The next morning, Sammy, Mr. Downing's dog, appears covered in red paint. Downing is furious. He starts investigating. He finds out a boy from Outwood's house was seen outside that night. He also finds spilled red paint in the bike shed. There is a footprint in the paint.

Downing gets Psmith to show him around Outwood's house. He is looking for boots with red paint on them. He finds one of Mike's boots with paint on it. Psmith successfully hides the boot. But he does not tell Mike. So Mike ends up wearing shoes to school. This draws Downing's attention.

Cricket Showdown

Meanwhile, Stone and Robinson are not happy. Adair wants to hold an early-morning cricket practice. They decide they can safely skip it. But Adair has other ideas. He fights Stone, forcing both of them to play.

Adair then visits Mike. He invites Mike to either play cricket or fight. Adair is a better boxer. But he loses his temper and loses the fight. Psmith convinces Mike to play. He tells Mike that he will also play. Psmith reveals he was a very good bowler at Eton.

Adair sprains his wrist during the fight. He cannot play. The match is rained out. Downing tells the headmaster he thinks Mike painted Sammy. But it is discovered that Dunster, an old student, did it. Mike and Adair arrange a match between Sedleigh and Wrykyn. Sedleigh wins!

Main Characters

• Michael "Mike" Jackson: The main character. Mike is described as being good at everything except cricket, where he is a "natural genius." He is fifteen years old at the start of the first part and eighteen in the second part.
• Bob Jackson: Mike's older brother. He is a prefect at Wrykyn.
• Trevor and Clowes: Two friends of Bob Jackson, both cricket players.
• "Gazeka" Firby-Smith: The head of Mike's house at Wrykyn.
• Mr Wain: The teacher in charge of Mike's house at Wrykyn.
• James Wyatt: Mr. Wain's stepson and Mike's roommate.
• Burgess: The cricket captain at Wrykyn.
• Neville-Smith: A Wrykyn day student and a good bowler.
• Rupert Psmith: A unique boy who joins Sedleigh at the same time as Mike.
• Mr Outwood: The friendly teacher in charge of Mike's house at Sedleigh.
• Spiller: A boy in Outwood's house whose study is taken by Psmith and Mike.
• Stone: A boy in Outwood's house.
• Robinson: A boy in Outwood's house and Stone's friend.
• Tom Jellicoe: A boy in Outwood's house, Mike and Psmith's roommate.
• Mr Downing: An unpopular teacher in charge of another house.
• Adair: The cricket captain at Sedleigh.
• Dunster: An old student from Sedleigh.
• Sergeant Collard: The school sergeant at Sedleigh.

More Stories with Mike and Psmith

Both Mike and Psmith appear in several other books by Wodehouse:

• Psmith in the City (1910)
• Psmith, Journalist (1915)
• Leave it to Psmith (1923)

Wrykyn school also appeared in two earlier novels:

• The Gold Bat (1904)
• The White Feather (1907)

Many short stories are also set at Wrykyn. You can find some of them listed at List of short stories by P. G. Wodehouse#School stories.

Wodehouse used the scene with the paint-splashed shoe again in Something New (1915). Even though the setting and characters are different, the scene is very similar to the one in Mike. This scene was not included in the UK edition, Something Fresh.