The Gold Bat

hen you fellows have _quite_ finished rotting about in front ofthat bath don't let _me_ detain you.""An

and that those of the team who,being day boys, changed over at the pavilion, instead of performing theoperation at

inst the condition ofthe first, second, and third fifteen dressing-rooms. "Indignant" wouldinquire acidly, in half a page of small type, if the editor happened tobe aware that there was no hair-brush in the second room, and only halfa comb. "Disgusted O. W." would remark that when he came down with theWandering Zephyrs to play against the third fifteen, the water supplyhad sudde

opinion that, whatever happened subsequently, he was going tohave it first. Finally, on the suggestion of Otway, who had reducedtossing to a fine

won without any greatexertion. On this occasion the match had been rather more even than theaverage, and the team had

the ball out occasionally?" heasked. Ot

let it out, the outsides nearly alwaysmucked it.""Well, it wasn't the halves' fault. We always

about the bestcaptain we've had here for a long time. He's certainly one

ol regarded thestandard set by him as one that did not admit of comparison. Howevergood a Wrykyn centre three-quarter might be, the most he could hope tobe considered was "the best _since_ Rivers

e to the wings. And the search forthe weak spot was even further narrowed down by the general verdictthat Clowes, on the left wing, had played well. With a beautifulunanimity t

ay, retired. "I suppose they had to tryhim, as he was the senior wing three-quarter of the second

en if he's a funk, like Rand-Brown," said Clephane. "Did any of youc

ight alongthe touch-line, and hadn't any room to dodge. I know Trevor was jollysick about it. And then he let him through once before

ane sum

't left," said Otway, referring to the wingthree-quarter who, by leaving unexpectedly at th

get had been their scoringman. Rand-Brown had oc

are inclined to overlook in him such failings astimidity and clumsiness. It is only when he comes to be tried infootball of a higher class that he is seen thr

ers, as far as I can see."It was this very problem that was puzzling Trevor, as he walked off thefield with Paget and Clowes, when they had got into their

erm?"asked Clowes. "The forwards always play as if the whole thing boredthem to death.""It wasn't the forwards that mattered so much," said Trevor. "They'llshake down all right after a few matches. A little running and passingwill put them right.""Let's hope so,

think of Rand-B

pabilities ofthe various members of his team, it is best to avoid a too positivestatement one way or the other before one has hea

it afforded strong presumptive evidence of their sanity. If theydisagreed, it was unfortunate, but he was not going to alter hisopinions for that,

he was bad,

so much if he had only gone for his man properly. It isn't beingout of practice that makes you funk. And even when he did have a try atyou, Paget, he always went high.""That," said Clowes thoughtfully, "would seem to show that he wasgame."Nobody so much as smiled. Nobody ever di

thought he wasawfully bad myself.""I shall try somebody else next match," said Trevor. "It'll be ratherhard, though. The man

nybody in the th

said Clow

Barry's good,"

g for the first.""I don't remember much about Barry," said Paget, "except being collaredby him when we played Seymour's last year in the final. I certainlycame away with a sort of impression t

pton on toast,the same as last term."Wrykyn played five schools, but six school matches. The school thatthey played twice in the season was Ripton. To win one Ripton matchmeant that, however many losses it might have sustained in the othermatches, the school had had, at any rate, a passable season. To win twoRipton matches in the same year was almost unheard of. This year therehad seemed every likelihood of it. The match before Chr

match could not be judged bytheir previous success. They would have to approach the Easter termfixture from anothe

would be certain, if thematch were won, to rece

of course," s

we have shown, were