The White Feather

te," said Clowes, "I must say

rdyce disgustedly, as he filled th

ow, too," said Trevor. "It's not as if

a couple of club matches and the return match with Ripton to e

d pensively

t of team who'd get into form somewher

those biscuits, Trevor. They're about

Trevor, plunging a hand into the ti

n. It's bad enough losing all our matches, or nearly all. Did you hear that Ripton took thirt

e always simply walked them. It's an understood thing that we smash them. And this year they held us

outsides today," said Clowes. "He'

ntres would feed him, we might do something occasio

ticularly brilliant. I don't even know his name. He d

omewhere. He's no good, but there's nobody else. Colours have been simply a gift this year to anyone who can do a thin

s of the Old Briga

ish they were here

ors by over forty points. Clowes had scored five tries off his own bat, and Trevor, if he had not fed his wing so conscientiously, would probably have scored an equal number. As it was, he had got through t

otball, both the Ripton matches had been won, and also three out of the four other school matches. In cricket the eleven had had an even finer record, winning all their school matches, and likewise beating the M.C.C. and O

resumed Allardyce, returning to his sorrows. It was a rel

es, "and especially strong on the left wing.

; so, Barry being our scoring man, I shifted him across. The chap on the other wing, Stanning

ught he would be. I recommended you

, Drummond,"

is left in the place," o

ke, "appears to have that tired feeling. He seem

d Trevor sympathetically. "I'm gla

hird in a good year walking about in first fifteen blazers, and first fifteen scarves, and first fifteen stockings, and

ve some of them

al beastliness of things that I bar. Rows with the town, for instance. We've been having them on and off ever since you left. And it'll be worse now, b

deed, should I-for choice-care to be sand-bagged myself. But, as it happen

e gymnasium six is made up of kids an inch high-we shall probably be about ninetieth at the Public Schools' Competition-and there isn't any one who can play racquets for nuts. The only thing that Wrykyn'll do this year is to get the Light-Weights at Aldershot. Drummond ought to manage that. He wo

ed going to the dogs directly I left. We shall have to be pushing on now, Allardy

ht," said

ily. Take a pill. Let there be no stint. Take two. Then we shall hear your merry laugh rin

o make me that," growled

led those of Allardyce. Wrykyn, in his

er the summer. We have had bad luck in that way. Maurice, for instance, and Robinson both ought to have had another year at school. It was quite unexpected, their

ghtn't to be so rank as they were this

r Seymour. "They don't play themselves out. They don't put just

irst ounce; but refrained. However low an opinion a games' master may have-and even ex

rather sick about

exceptionally good team. He can't forget last year's matches, and suffers conti

bout rows with the town,"

y we pay for being on the outskirts of a town. Four years out of five nothi

y has got out of h

ves, yes," admi

of rows?" a

s it were, definite-as yet. No actual complaint

straw which shows how the wind is blowing, but if you lived on the spot you would see more what I mean. There is trouble in the air. And now that this election is coming on, I should not wonder if things came to a head. I can't remember a single

on with that school in the High Street-wh

" suppli

Seymour. "Have they

g goes down town he runs like an antelope along the High Street, unless he's got one or two friends with him. I saved dozens of kids from destruction when I was at school. The St Jude

heard of it till now. It is when the bigger fellows get mixed up with the town that we have to interfere. I wish the headmaster

Trevor. "I think we had better be off now, sir. W

ernoon? Five? I wish you were still here, to score them for instead of against us. Good night, Trevor. I was glad

ong the road towards Donaldson's

e tired," said

t's

at the moment. Clowes drew hi

saw him shinning down a rope.

through the gateway and disappeared

said Trevor. "

g me today, Stanning. Wonder what he's after. Perhaps he'

t," said Trevor. "I

mpathetic chaps," said Clowes. "Come