eld played considerably better than in the Morgan's game
and emerged with no more important damages than a wrenched ankle, which
fell to the share of Martin, who had taken Rollins's place in the last
period.

Joe Gafferty came back to practice the following Monday, but was missing
again a day or two later, and the school heard with some dismay that
Joe's parents had written to Mr. Fernald and forbidden Joe to play any
more football that year. Joe was inconsolable and went around for the
next week or so looking like a lost soul. After that he accepted the
situation and helped Mr. Boutelle coach the second. That second had by
that time been shaken together into a very capable and smooth-running
team, a team which was giving the first more and more trouble every
day. Coach Robey had again levied on it for a player, taking Merton to
the first when Gafferty was lost to him, and again Mr. Boutelle growled
and protested and, finally, philosophically shrugged his shoulders. A
week later Merton was released to the second once more and Pryme, who
had been playing at right guard as a substitute for Tom Hall, was tried
out on the other side of centre with good results. Pryme's advent as a
contender for the left guard position complicated the battle between Don
and Harry Walton, and until after the Southby game the trio of
candidates indulged in a three-cornered struggle that was quite pretty
to watch.

Unfortunately for Don, that struggle for supremacy threatened to affect
his class standing, for it occupied so much of his thought that there
was little left for study. When, however, the office dropped a hint and
Mr. Daley presented an ultimatum, Don realised that he was taking
football far too seriously, and, being a rather level-headed youth, he
mended his ways. He expected, as a result, to find himself left behind
in the race with Walton and Pryme, but, oddly enough, his game was in no
degree affected so far as he could determine. In fact, within a few days
the situation was simplified by the practical elimination of Pryme as a
contender. This happened when, just before the Southby game, Tom Hall,
together with eight other members of Mr. Moller's physics class went on
probation, and Pryme was needed at right guard.

I have mentioned Tom's probation very casually, quite as if it was a
matter of slight importance, but you may be sure that the school viewed
it in no such way. Coming as it did little more than a fortnight before
t