went afterwards to his room in a despondent mood. It didn't
matter how hard he tried or what he did; he had not the faculty of
winning and holding affection and respect. As it was with boys, so it
would be with men. If only he could see how and why he failed, and could
learn to correct his mistakes!

He felt of more importance in the School world when a letter from
Lawrence was the first announcement that the Freshman eleven would come
to play St. Timothy's. He asked Collingwood if he had had any word, and
when Collingwood said no, he told him his brother's message.

"I don't believe there can be any mistake," said Irving. "He writes that
it was decided only the night before. You'll probably receive the
official communication in a day or two."

Collingwood was tremendously elated. "I knew we were better than
Lakeview--but I was afraid they wouldn't realize it," he said. "Now
we'll have to get ready and beat them. Anyway, if we can't do that, it
will be the best kind of preparation for the St. John's game."

The official communication arrived; Collingwood rushed with it to the
bulletin board in the Study building and posted it for all eyes to see.
The same day he posted the School eleven, as it would line up in that
game.

Westby was to be first substitute for Dennison at right half back.
Westby had been playing a streaky game on the First Corinthians; on some
days he was as brilliant a runner and tackler as there was in the
School, and on other days he would lose interest and miss everything.

If he was disappointed at the preference given to Dennison, he did not
show it; in fact, that he appeared on the list as substitute seemed to
fill him with elation. He had never taken football quite so seriously as
some of the others--as Collingwood and Dennison, for example; and
therefore only a moderate success in it was for him a matter of
gratification.

The training table was organized at once, but Westby was not admitted to
it. There was not room for the substitutes; they were expected to do
their own training. Westby was notoriously lax in that matter and had to
be nagged constantly by Collingwood, whom he found some pleasure in
teasing.

He would secure some forbidden article of food and ostentatiously appear
to be eating it with the greatest enjoyment until he caught
Collingwood's eye; a large circular doughnut or a chocolate eclair
delicately poised between his thumb and finger were his favorite
instruments for