hout them
yesterday."

"Yes; but we were on our own ground, and had a goal to the good before
they struck."

"I think old Yorke is quite right," said Ranger. "We may be licked, and
if we are they'll crow. On the other hand, if we let them play now
they'll crow worse. I think we'd better be beaten by Rendlesham than by
traitors."

"Shan't you let them play at all this half?" said Fisher.

"That depends on themselves," said Yorke.

"Hullo! here they come," said Ranger.

The two Moderns were a little disconcerted to find themselves confronted
with the body of Classic seniors.

"Oh, you're engaged," said Clapperton; "we'll come again."

"No, we were talking about the team; I suppose that's what you've come
about."

"Yes," said Clapperton; "we want to know what it means!"

"Really I don't see how it could have been put plainer. It means that
the fifteen men named are going to play on Saturday."

"Look here, Yorke," said Clapperton, "if you think I've come over here
to beg you to put Dangle and me into the team, you're mistaken--"

"I don't think it. You know it's impossible."

"All I can say is, it's sheer spite and nothing else. Dangle was
deliberately knocked over by that cad Rollitt--"

"Who is not present, and may therefore be called names with safety,"
said Ranger.

"Shut up, Ranger, there's a good fellow," said the captain.

"And Dangle had a right to object," continued Clapperton.

"He had no right to play into the hands of the other side," said Yorke.

"How do you know I did?" said Dangle.

"Do you mean to say you didn't?" said Yorke.

"I didn't come here to be catechised by you. Are you going to put
Clapperton and me in the fifteen or not? That's what we came to know."

"No--certainly not," said the captain; "and as that's all, you may as
well go."

"Very well," sneered Clapperton, who was in a high temper, "you'll be
sorry for it. Come on, Dangle."

"There's only one thing to be done now," said he, when they had got back
to their own side; "we must none of us play. That will bring them to
reason."

Brinkman approved of the idea.

"There's more sense in that," said he, "than you two sticking out. That
will reduce the team to a Classic fifteen, and if they get licked it
won't matter."

"There's no possible chance of their making up a fifteen without us?"
asked Dangle.

"None at all. They haven't the men," said Clapperton, brightening up.
"The fact is, we have them at o