Talbot Baines Reed

“ As they passed Widow Wisdom’s, Denton darted in.
“Have your fire alight and some food ready. Some of our youngsters have been all night on the mountain. We’re going to look for them.”
Half-way to the lake, they were pulled up by a shout from across the stream. It was Percy Wheatfield, dead beat, sitting on a log, as white and miserable as a ghost.
“I say, have you chaps seen Wally?” he called.
“No; we’re off to look. Some of them have turned up. Can you get as far as Widow Wisdom’s? There’s a roaring fire and some grub waiting there. We’ll see after Wally.” ”

“ Just as the first coach was starting, a shout was heard from across the Green, and Corder, the Modern boy whose services were declined on the previous occasion, equipped in an ulster and with his bag in his hand, appeared signalling for the cortège to wait.
“Well! what is it?” demanded Dangle.
“Is Yorke there? Yorke, can I play to-day?”
“No, you can’t,” said Dangle in a menacing undertone. “None of us are playing; you know that.”
“I don’t see why I mayn’t play if I have the chance,” said Corder. “I awfully want to play in the fifteen.”
“We’re a man short,” said Yorke. “You can play, Corder.” ”

“ How long it might have gone on Fisher could never tell; for once, when victory seemed on the point of declaring for the angler, and the shining fins of the fish floundered despairingly almost within his reach, a downward dash nearly wrenched the rod from his hands and sent him sprawling on to the thwarts. The sudden lurch of the boat was too much for the ill-tied rope, and to Fisher’s horror the noose gave way and sent boat and fisherman spinning down the rapids at five miles an hour. ”

“ This pleasant letter, Fisher major, raging, carried to the captain.
Yorke pulled a long face when he read it.
“There’s no truth in it, surely?” said he.
“I can’t answer for any foolery the juniors have been up to; but apart from that, it’s a sheer lie, and the fellows deserve to be kicked.”
“Much better offer them a new election,” said the captain.
“What! They’ll get their man in.”
“My dear fellow, suppose they do. You’ll still belong to Fellsgarth. They mustn’t have a chance of saying they don’t get fair play.” ”

“ For Rollitt was the fellow who had publicly insulted the Moderns in the person of Dangle; and not only that, but—poor and shabby as he was—had shown himself utterly indifferent to their indignation and contemptuous of their threats.
“Why,” Dangle said, “the fellow’s a pauper! he can’t even pay for his clubs! His father’s a common fellow, I’m told.”
“Yes, and I heard,” said Brinkman, “his fees up here are paid for him. Why, we might just as well have Bob in the fifteen.”
“A jolly sight better. Bob knows how to be civil.”
“It is a crime to be poor,” said Fullerton. ”

“ The tea-bell, however, relieved the tension, “Come,” said the hostess. “You must take one another in. No, that won’t do, all Mr Wakefield’s boys together. Two of you come this side—that’s right; and Cottle and Ramshaw, you go over there. Now, you’re beautifully sorted. Edward, dear, you mustn’t talk till you’ve handed round the tea-cake to our guests. Lickford, do you take cream and sugar? And you too, twins? Oh really, dear, you don’t call those slices, do you? Do let Ashby cut up the cake; I’m sure he knows better than you what a slice is; don’t you, Ashby?” ”

“ The captain grunted, and began to throw his flannels into his bag.
“What about Rollitt?” he asked.
“No go. He’s gone off for a day’s fishing.”
The captain whistled dismally. “Then we must play a man short. There’s no one else worth putting in. It’s like marching to one’s execution,” he said; “I wish it was all over. But it’s only just beginning.” ”

“ Clapperton, to do him justice, could not deny to himself that the team selected by the captain was the best fighting fifteen the School could put into the football field. But, having advanced his claim for half numbers, his pride was hurt at finding it almost contemptuously set aside. It would never do for him to climb down now.
The Moderns, after all, had a right to have their men in; and he had a right to assume they were better players than some of the selected Classics. It was easy to work himself into a rage, and talk about favouritism, and abuse of privilege, and all that. ”

“ Wish you could join us, whoever you are. We’ve got as much right to have tea in our study as you have in yours. That’s right! Kick away! Never mind the varnish! Somebody tapping at the study door.”
“It’s no good wasting time over young asses like them,” Brinkman was heard to say.
“I don’t mean to go now,” said Clapperton. “They shall have such a hiding, all of them, as they won’t forget in a hurry.”
“It’s funny how when we seniors strike against the School it’s so noble, and when these juniors strike against us it’s so inexcusable,” said Fullerton. “Strikes always did puzzle me.” ”

“ Yorke, on the contrary, was cheering up. Bad as these opening ten minutes had been, he fancied his team was not going to do so badly after all. The new players were working like mad in the scrimmage. Ranger was as quick on his feet in the wet as in the dry; and Corder at half-back had been surprisingly steady.
Before kicking off again he made one or two changes. He moved Ridgway, who was a heavy weight, up into the forwards. Corder, greatly to his delight, was entrusted with the goal, and Fisher major moved up to half-back. ”

“ He took it, and worked himself into a childish passion against the refractory door, encouraged by the friendly gibes of the besieged. “Go it!”
“Two to one on his boots!”
“Keep your temper!”
“Come in!” “Stick to it!” “One more and you’ll do it!” and so on.
It was hardly likely that the spectacle of the captain of the house in a towering rage, toying to kick his way into a fag’s room, would long be allowed to continue unheeded by the rest of the inhabitants of Forder’s, and in a very short time new voices without apprised the beleaguered garrison that the enemy was sitting down in force. ”

“ And there was a knot of Rendlesham fellows talking among themselves and generally taking stock of the Fellsgarth form. Mr Stratton, in civilian dress, as became the umpire, was the first representative of the School to show up on the grass. A distant cheer from the top of the oak tree hailed his arrival, and louder cheers still from the steps of the pavilion indicated that the popular master was not the private property of any faction in Fellsgarth.
To Fisher minor it was amazing how Mr Stratton could talk and laugh as pleasantly as he did with the umpire for the other side. ”

“ When Dangle, who owned the longest ear in the school, could not hear a word which Brinkman, who owned the loudest voice, shouted into it, it spoke somewhat for what Fellsgarth might do in the way of noise if it tried.
The only two persons who were not actively contributing to the general clamour were the two new boys who sat wedged in among a mass of juniors at one of the lower tables. They may have considered that the beating of their hearts was noisy enough. But people in this world are slow at hearing other people’s hearts beat. ”

“ On the contrary, they worked up that slope like heroes; all the more so that they were ready to drop, and durst not for very shame. There is no hero like the coward who compels himself to be brave. Many a man in history has become famous for an exploit that cost him far less than this climb cost the Fellsgarth juniors. Therefore let this record at least award the the credit they deserve.—It was some satisfaction, when the knob was reached, and they looked up at the black towering crags above, to see that even Wally seemed staggered for a moment. ”

“ The new boys among the junior division were, perhaps, the only ones who listened attentively to what Mr Stratton, the young, cheery athlete who presided over their studies, had to say. And even the irrespectful admiration was a good deal distracted by the babel of voices which was going on all round them.
“Never mind him,” said D’Arcy; “he’s a kid of a master, and don’t know any better. It’s all rot. Bless you, we get the same thing—”
“D’Arcy,” said the master, suddenly, “I was recommending the value of extra work, especially for clever boys. ”

“ For pity’s sake don’t lecture any more to-night, old man,” said Dalton. “I’ll agree to anything rather than that.”
“There’s just one more thing,” said Yorke, “which you may take as lecture or not as you like. Clapperton said something about helping out the clubs with money. Fisher major, you are the treasurer; don’t have any of that. Don’t take more than the regular subscription from anybody, and don’t take less. If there’s a deficit let’s all stump up alike. We don’t want anybody’s charity.” ”

“ Why don’t you go and join the enemy at once, if you’re so fond of them?” said Dangle.
“Well,” said Clapperton, “they will keep; but we must have it out with Corder now. It’s no use simply cutting him; he’ll have to be taught that he can’t defy the house for nothing. Go and tell him to come, Brinkman.” ”

“ Who are you going to get into a mess now! Has Yorke been swindling anybody lately, or Ranger been getting tight! You’re bound to have some story about somebody.”
“I didn’t mean— It’s not wicked to lose money,” pleaded Fisher minor. “I never thought—”
“That’s just it,” said Wally. “You couldn’t if you tried. Dangle will make a nice thing out of it, thanks to you. Classic treasurer been and collared Modern boys’ money—that sort of thing—and they’ll kick him out and stick in one of their own lot, and call it triumph of honesty. Oh, you beauty; you can do things nicely when you try?” ”

“ Fancy poor Yorke’s feelings if we were to demand a new election!”
“I tell you what,” said Dangle, “I don’t altogether understand Yorke. He tries to pass off as fair, and just, and all that sort of thing; but one can’t be sure he’s not playing a game of his own.”
“We shall easily see that when it comes to choosing the football fifteen against Rendlesham. I mean to send him in a list of fellows on our side. It’s only fair we should have half of them our men.”
“Half fifteen is seven and a half,” said Fullerton, a melancholy senior who had not yet spoken; “how will you manage about that?” ”

“ If fellows had dared, they would have liked now and then to pay his subscriptions to the clubs; or even hand on an old pair of cricket shoes or part of the contents of a hamper for his benefit. But woe betide them if they ever tried it! The only extravagance he had ever been known to commit was some months ago, when he bought a book of trout-flies, which rumour said must have cost him as much as an ordinary Classic’s pocket-money for a whole term.
To an impressionable youth like Fisher minor it was only natural that Rollitt should be an object of awe. ”

“ Ashby was beginning to feel quite at home in Wakefield’s.
“I’ll let some of you see if it won’t matter,” retorted Wally. “If they’ve got wind of that affair the other side, there’ll be a fearful row. They’ll want another election. Oh, you young idiot! That comes of trusting a new kid, that sings comic songs, and parts his hair the wrong side, with a secret. D’Arcy’s nearly as big an ass as you are yourself, to trust you.” ”

“ Clapperton increased the difficulty by coming over to say that as Brinkman was laid up, he had arranged for Corder to play instead.
Corder, as it happened, was a Modern senior, a small fellow, and reputed an indifferent player.
“He wouldn’t do at all,” said Yorke, decisively.
“Why not? Surely we’ve got a right to find a substitute for our own man,” said Clapperton, testily.
“What do you mean by your own man? Who cares twopence whose man he is, as long as he plays up? The fifteen are Fellsgarth men, and no more yours than they are mine.” ”

“ If the Moderns turn up in force, it’ll be touch-and-go if they don’t carry every man. I can’t stop now—mind you bring those kids.”
And off he went with all the importance of captain’s fag on his electioneering tour.
“Wally’s right,” said D’Arcy. “It’ll be a close shave to carry our men. You see, kids,” added he condescendingly, “it’s just this way. The Moderns are going to try to carry the clubs to-day, and if they do, the whole of us aren’t going to stand it, and there’ll be such a jolly row in Fellsgarth as—well, wait till you see.” ”

“ I shall be happy to see any three of you, whenever you like, I can hit out as well as young Corder, so I hope Brinkman won’t come. But Dangle now, or even Clapperton, I shall be charmed to see. It’s really their duty as prefects to suppress any one who dares have an opinion of his own. ”