pes rose again; but once
more they were dashed by the captain's announcement of a fifteen made up
wholly of Classics.

To-day he had not had the heart to come out and see the coaches start,
and was moping in his own room, when some one brought in word that
Rollitt was not going to play after all, and that the team was setting
out a man short.

Whereupon Corder dashed into his ulster, flung his flannels into his
bag, and tore out of his house just in time to secure for himself the
long-coveted honour, and find himself in the glorious position of
"playing for the School."

How was such a fellow likely to trouble his head about strikes, and
protests, and organised desertion?

Fortunately for the comfort of his journey, he had to pack himself away
on the floor between the feet of Ridgway and another of the team, who,
if they kicked him at all, only did it by accident or by way of
encouragement, and not as Dangle or Brinkman might have done, in spite.

The rain was coming down pretty steadily by the time the party got to
their destination, and the gloom on the brows of the four Modern
prefects deepened as they looked up and speculated on the delights of
standing for an hour on the wet grass watching their rivals play.

"Dangle," said Clapperton, "we must stop that cad Corder's playing at
all cost. It will upset everything. Come and talk to him."

But Corder, perhaps with an inkling of what was in store for him, had
entrenched himself behind a number of other players, and in close
proximity to Ranger, who had evidently told himself off to see that the
last recruit of the fifteen was not tampered with.

The signals of the two seniors were studiously not observed, and when
Dangle, getting desperate, said--

"Corder, half a minute; Clapperton wants you." Ranger interposed with--

"Come on, you fellows, it's time we got into our flannels," and
effectually checkmated the manoeuvre.

"If he doesn't get paid out for this," growled Clapperton, "I'm precious
mistaken."

"Yes; and the other fellows must see that he is. If this sort of thing
spreads, we may as well cave in at once."

The Rendlesham fellows hovered about under shelter till the last moment,
grumbling at the weather, the grass, and the dock. At length the
Fellsgarth boys put in an appearance; sides were solemnly tossed for,
and the order to "spread out" was given.

"Hullo!" said one of the Rendlesham men as he passed Clapperton and
Dangle, "why aren'