to you that it was expected the School would beat
the Sixth, and that he rather hoped, as he must play, he would get a
chance at the ball before the match was over. From all which you might
gather that Bolsover was reluctantly coming round to take an interest in
the event.

"Fortune favours the brave," said Mr Steele, one of his assistants, to
the head-master at dinner-time. "You have conquered before you have
struck, mighty Caesar."

Mr Frampton smiled. He was flushed and excited. Two days ago he had
seemed to be committed to a desperate venture. Now, a straight path
seemed to open before him, and Bolsover, in his enthusiastic
imagination, was already a reformed, reinvigorated institution.

"Yes, Steele," said he, as he glanced from the window and watched the
boys trooping down towards the meadow. "This day will be remembered at
Bolsover."

Little dreamed the brave head-master how truly his prophecy would be
fulfilled.

An arrangement had been made to give the small boys a match of their
own. The young gladiators themselves, who had secretly wept over their
impending doom, were delighted to be removed beyond the reach of the
giants of the Sixth. And the leaders of the School forces were devoutly
thankful to be disencumbered of a crowd of meddlesome "kids" who would
have spoiled sport, even if they did not litter the ground with their
corpses.

The sight of the new goal posts and ball, which Mr Freshfield, a junior
master, was heard to explain was a present from the head-master to the
school, had also a mollifying effect. And the bracing freshness of the
air and the self-respect engendered by the sensation of their flannels
(for most of the players had contrived to provide themselves with armour
of this healthy material) completed their reconciliation to their lot,
and drove all feelings of resentment against their tyrant, for the
present at any rate, quite out of their heads.

In a hurried consultation of the seniors, Farfield, who was known to be
a player, was nominated captain of the senior force; while a similar
council of war among the juniors had resulted in the appointment of
Ranger of the Fifth to lead the hosts of the School.

Mr Freshfield, with all the ardour of an old general, assisted
impartially in advising as to the disposition of the field on either
side; and, for the benefit of such as might be inexperienced at the
game, rehearsed briefly some of the chief rules of the game as played