foot as to be unrecognizable.
Ah-h-h! It's young Verney.

"Good kid! Well played--I say, well played, well pla-a-a-a-yed!"

Our John has, it seems, distinguished himself. He has charged valiantly
into the captain of Damer's at the moment when that illustrious chief is
about to kick the ball to a trusted lieutenant on the left. He succeeds
in kicking the ball into John's face. John goes over backwards; but the
ball falls just in front of the Duffer.

"Kick it, Duffer--kick it, you old ass!"

The Duffer kicks it most accurately, kicks it well out to the top side.
Now, can Desmond repeat his amazing performance? Yes--No--he can't. The
conditions are no longer the same. Half a dozen fellows are between him
and the Damer base.

Alas! The Manor is about to receive a second object-lesson upon the
fatuity of trusting to individuals. Confident in Caesar's ability to take
the ball at least within kicking distance of the base, they have rushed
forward, leaving unguarded their own citadel. Caesar, going too fast,
misjudges the distance between himself and the back. A second later the
ball is well on its way to the Manor's base. The back awaits it, coolly
enough; knowing that Damer's forwards are offside. Then he kicks the
sodden, slippery ball--hard. An exclamation of horror bursts from the
Manorites. Their back has kicked the ball straight into the hands of the
Damerite captain, the steadiest player on the ground.

"_Yards!_"

The chief collects himself for a decisive effort, and then despatches
the ball straight and true for the target.

* * * * *

It passed between the posts within forty-five seconds of time.

FOOTNOTES:

[14] The "barmaid" collar is the double collar, at that time just coming
into fashion.

[15] "Chaw," short for Chawbacon.

[16] "Tique," ab. for arithmetic. "Tique-beaks" are mathematical
masters.

[17] To "sky," _i.e._ to charge and overthrow.

[18] In the Harrow game a boy may turn and kick the ball into the hands
of one of his own side. The boy who catches it calls "Yards!" and, the
opposite side withdrawing three yards, the catcher is allowed a free
kick.

CHAPTER V

_Fellowship_

"Fellowship is Heaven, and the lack of it is Hell."

John was squelching through the mud, wondering whether his nose was
broken or not, when Lawrence touched his shoulder.

"Never mind, Verney," he said cheerily; "the Manor will be cock-house at
Torpids next