ed
sphere, upon the muddy grass; and the Elevens were stupidly staring at
it. The Saints be praised! Some fellow can move. Who is it? The
players, big and little, are so daubed with mud from head to foot as to
be unrecognizable. Ah-h-h! It's young Verney.

"Good kid! Well played--I say, well played, well pla-a-a-a-yed!"

Our John has, it seems, distinguished himself. He has charged
valiantly into the captain of Damer's at the moment when that
illustrious chief is about to kick the ball to a trusted lieutenant on
the left. He succeeds in kicking the ball into John's face. John goes
over backwards; but the ball falls just in front of the Duffer.

"Kick it, Duffer--kick it, you old ass!"

The Duffer kicks it most accurately, kicks it well out to the top side.
Now, can Desmond repeat his amazing performance? Yes--No--he can't.
The conditions are no longer the same. Half a dozen fellows are
between him and the Damer base.

Alas! The Manor is about to receive a second object-lesson upon the
fatuity of trusting to individuals. Confident in Caesar's ability to
take the ball at least within kicking distance of the base, they have
rushed forward, leaving unguarded their own citadel. Caesar, going too
fast, misjudges the distance between himself and the back. A second
later the ball is well on its way to the Manor's base. The back awaits
it, coolly enough; knowing that Damer's forwards are offside. Then he
kicks the sodden, slippery ball--hard. An exclamation of horror bursts
from the Manorites. Their back has kicked the ball straight into the
hands of the Damerite captain, the steadiest player on the ground.

"_Yards_!"

The chief collects himself for a decisive effort, and then despatches
the ball straight and true for the target.

It passed between the posts within forty-five seconds of time.

[1] The "Barmaid" collar is the double collar, at that time just coming
into fashion.

[2] "Chaw," short for Chawbacon.

[3] "Tique," ab. for arithmetic. "Tique-beaks" are mathematical
masters.

[4] To "sky," _i.e._ to charge and overthrow.

[5] In the Harrow game a boy may turn and kick the ball into the hands
of one of his own side. The boy who catches it calls "Yards!" and, the
opposite side withdrawing three yards, the catcher is allowed a free
kick.

CHAPTER V

FELLOWSHIP

"Fellowship is Heaven, and the lack of it is Hell."

John was squelching through the mud, wondering whet