r in eight years--(frantic
shoutings). The School played splendidly, too, I will say, and kept it
up to the last. That last charge of theirs would have carried away a
house. I never thought to see anything again of old Crab there, except
little pieces, when I saw him tumbled over by it--(laughter and
shouting, and great slapping on the back of Jones by the boys nearest
him). Well, but we beat 'em--(cheers). Ay, but why did we beat 'em?
answer me that--(shouts of "your play"). Nonsense! 'Twasn't the wind
and kick-off either--that wouldn't do it. 'Twasn't because we've half
a dozen of the best players in the School, as we have. I wouldn't
change Warner, and Hedge, and Crab, and the young un, for any six on
their side--(violent cheers). But half a dozen fellows can't keep it
up for two hours against two hundred. Why is it, then? I'll tell you
what I think. Its because we've more reliance on one another, more of
a house feeling, more fellowship than the School can have. Each
of us knows and can depend on his next-hand man better--that's why
we beat 'em to-day. We've union, they've division--there's the
secret--(cheers). But how's this to be kept up? How's it to be
improved? That's the question. For I take it, we're all in earnest
about beating the School, whatever else we care about. I know I'd
sooner win two School-house matches running than get the Balliol
scholarship[11] any day--(frantic cheers).

[11] #Balliol scholarship#: a scholarship in Balliol College,
one of the leading colleges of Oxford. Such scholarships are
frequently worth from $800 to $1000 a year.

"Now, I'm as proud of the house as any one. I believe it's the best
house in the School, out-and-out--(cheers). But it's a long way from
what I want to see it. First, there's a deal of bullying going on. I
know it well. I don't pry about and interfere; that only makes it more
underhand, and encourages the small boys to come to us with their
fingers in their eyes telling tales, and so we should be worse off
than ever. It's very little kindness for the sixth to meddle
generally--you youngsters, mind that. You'll be all the better
foot-ball players for learning to stand it, and to take your own
parts, and fight it through. But depend on it, there's nothing breaks
up a house like bullying. Bullies are cowards, and one coward makes
many; so good-by to the School-house match if bullying gets ahead
here. (Loud applause from the small boys, who look meanin