, dash it all, Todd," said Cotton, in a white rage, "you are a bounder!
Think I'd sell my side?" he demanded furiously.

"Ah!" said Gus, delighted at having got through Cotton's skin. "You don't
stomach insults any more than I do. Then why do you ladle them out so
jolly freely to me?"

"That was a particularly low one," said Cotton angrily; "and anyway, you
avaricious beggar, you've got thundering good terms, for it is hardly
likely that Biffen's can really be cock-house. There's Corker's house,
with Bourne and Hodgson and a few more good men. You're a sight more
likely to see my three sovs, that I am yours."

"I hope so," said Gus, with some relief at the anticipation of this
pleasant prospect.

Then the anger of the two simmered down, each having given and received
some very choice compliments, and as these little breezes were usual
between the two, ten minutes afterwards they were amiably entertaining
each other. Cotton was putting up a pair of dumb-bells three hundred
times, and his crony was counting and criticising his form. The Perry
Exhibition did not enter Todd's head, but his bet--"such a gilt-edged
one," he chuckled--was never once out of it. And Todd's bet had some
momentous consequences for him, too.

CHAPTER VI

THE LAST CAP

While Acton was thus making such strenuous exertions to lift Biffen's out
of the mire, Bourne was finding out the whole unpainted beauty of the
situation--as far as it concerned himself.

The experimental footer elevens were chosen in what, I believe, is the
usual manner. The old members of the school eleven formed a committee, and
chose fellows to play in the weekly matches, and if any one of them showed
special talent he was, of course, retained, and by-and-by the captain gave
him his school cap, and he was henceforth a full-blown member of the
eleven, with a seat on the committee like any of the old gang.

There were left of the last year's team five players--Bourne, Mivart,
Vercoe, Baines, and Roberts. The final promotion of fellows into the
eleven, however, rested with the captain alone, and when he considered any
fellow good enough he signified the same by presenting him with the blue
and silver cap of St. Amory.

The giving away of a cap had become quite a function. Whenever there was
the rumour that some one was to have a cap after a match, pretty well the
whole school swarmed round the pavilion, and when the new member came out
in all the glory of his new