The Cock-House at Fellsgarth Part 26

These patriotic young gentlemen were a good deal disconcerted next morning to find that they had been reckoning without their host. The captain had posted up the fifteen to play next week. The list contained the names of Fullerton, Brinkman, and two others on the Modern side, but omitted those of Clapperton and Dangle.

In their wildest dreams the malcontents had never reckoned on the captain taking such a step as this. They knew that they were necessary to the efficiency of any team, and that without them, especially against Rendlesham, it would be almost a farce to go into the field at all.

At first they were disposed to laugh and sneer; then to bl.u.s.ter. Then it dawned on them gradually that for once in their lives they had made a mistake. They had not even the credit of refusing to play, but had been ignominiously kicked out.

A council of war was held, in which mutual recriminations, a.s.sisted by Fullerton's candid reflections on the situation, occupied a considerable share of the time.

The result of their deliberations was that Clapperton and Dangle went over in no very amiable frame of mind to the captain.

Yorke, as it happened, was having an uneasy conference with his own side at the time. Delighted as the Cla.s.sics were at the blow which had been struck at the mutineers, the prospect of almost certain defeat next Sat.u.r.day made them anxious for compromise.

"If I were you," said Fisher major, "I'd give them a chance of explaining and apologising."

"There can be no apology," said Yorke.

"You are quite right in theory," said Denton; "but wouldn't it be rather a crow for them to see that we are licked without them?"

"We mustn't be licked," said the captain. "We held our own without 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 Cla.s.sic 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 Sat.u.r.day."

"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 Cla.s.sic 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 our mercy; and if they want us to play again they'll have to ask us properly."

"Meanwhile Fellsgarth will get on splendidly," said Fullerton.

"Shut up. Don't you see it will be all the better for everybody in the long run?"

"I can't say I do at present. It may come by and by--"

"We must see that everybody backs up in this," said Brinkman. "One traitor would spoil everything."

"That's what Yorke said on Sat.u.r.day, wasn't it?" asked Fullerton innocently, "At least, he said two traitors. Yorke will not see that what's right for one fellow is naughty for another."

"Look here, Fullerton," said Clapperton, who was sensitive enough to feel the sting of all this, "you don't suppose we're doing this for fun, do you? Will you promise not to play on Sat.u.r.day, even if you are asked?"

"What if I don't?" said Fullerton.

"You won't find it particularly comfortable on this side of the School, that's all," said Brinkman.

Fullerton meditated and turned the matter over.

"I think on the whole," said he, mimicking Clapperton, "that as this is for the highest good of the School, and as everybody is to be all the better in the long run, and as we're all going to be n.o.ble and sacrifice ourselves together, you may put me down as not playing on Sat.u.r.day.

_Dulce et decorum est pro patria_--I beg pardon, I'm not on the Cla.s.sic side yet."

The other players named on the list consented more or less reluctantly to follow the same example. After morning school, therefore, when the fellows looked at the notice board, they saw, to their bewilderment, the names of the four Modern fellows struck out and the following note appended to the captain's list--