cription and account, but all I'm going to say is that Bourne and Acton
played as they had never played before--I think I've said that before
about Acton, but he really was superlative in the housers' final--and that
five minutes from time the score was "one all." Then Acton showed the
school a stroke of genius. He brought Raven out from centre-forward, where
he was quite unable to cope with Bourne, whispered him to go "back" with
Worcester, and before any one could realize what was happening he was
playing forward himself. He' was a "lambent flame along the ground" if you
like. In a second Biffen's were swarming round Roberts in goal, Acton
passed out to Chalmers, who was ready for the pass, and in a twinkling the
ball was in the net. From the row you might have imagined the school had
gone mad.

[Illustration: ACTON JUST REACHED IT WITH HIS HEAD.]

The ball was kicked off again. Almost immediately Acton secured near the
centre. He dribbled through the ruck of his opponents until he saw Bourne
upon him. With a smile of triumph upon his lips he gently rolled the
leather to Chalmers, who was hungrily waiting for the pass out on the
touch-line. Chalmers waltzed beautifully for the short run almost to the
corner flag. He steadied himself for one instant after his run, and then
lifted the ball magnificently into the goal mouth. As the leather was
skimming past, Acton just reached it with his head and deflected it high
and dry out of Roberts' reach into the net. It was the supreme effort
of his splendid game.

Biffen's had won by three goals to one!

They carried Acton off the field in ecstasy, and nearly scared Dame Biffen
out of her wits by the "whisper" of "cock-house." Well, it certainly was
unusual.

After tea the whole of St. Amory's crowded into the Speech Room to hear
the result of the Perry Exhibition. There would not be a fellow away, I
should fancy, bar the cripples in the hospital, for there was no end of
excitement. Was this to be another Biffen's triumph? Was Raven of the
Fifth to beat Hodgson, the chosen of the Sixth, for the Perry? It was not
to be expected that he would, but when the whisper circled round that
Acton had '"coached" him in classics it was agreed that perhaps there
would be another feather in Acton's cap.

The masters were there on the platform in serried ranks, the whole fifty
of them, from Corker to Pfenning who "does" the music.

Corker, as usual, went straight to the mark, whilst the