He came at last to his own study and went in. Toby had gone, but Terence rose from a chair and moved towards him. He took one glance at Rouse and turned away. There was a moment’s silence. Rouse went to the table and sat down. He was trembling a little. His hands would not keep still. At last he looked up. Presently he made his confession. “He put me down,” said he. “Often?” asked Terence gently. “Yes. Quite often.” Terence nodded his head sympathetically. He saw that there was no need for words. At last Rouse leaned his elbows upon the table and buried his battered face in his hands. There was nobody but Terence there to see, so what did it matter? He was suddenly brave no more ... he was speaking his inner feelings. “This is the term that was to have been an unbeaten season, and it’s come to pieces in our hands.” He waited. The room was very silent. “The chaps haven’t got to look far to see what I’ve done for the school. I’ve ruined the footer, and now because of me every game that a man can think of has been stopped, and I’ve got Toby the sack—the finest fellow who ever stepped. Last of all I’ve had a licking from the fellow who always said that I wasn’t any good. What will the school say to that? Perhaps now they’ll see through me. Perhaps they’ll turn to somebody else. Supposing it’s Coles? I wonder whether it’s too late to get the Head to do the right thing.... P’r’aps if I did something outside the pale he might expel me—and keep Toby.” Terence moved to him quickly. “Listen,” he began. “Don’t talk like that. You’re forgetting. You promised Toby you’d hang on. Every chap in the school’s looking to you for a lead. And the side that wins this fight will be the side that can stick it out. You’re not going to weaken—now. This is the crisis. Every day we’re giving him more rope. Maybe he’ll hang himself if we only hang on. But if we give in now he’s won.” There was silence. Rouse did not look up. “Toby’s going to-morrow, and he told me to tell you the Head will find that the worst thing he ever did was to send him away. Toby’s not the only old Harleyan. Some of the others have influence. Lots of them have brothers here now—and sons. Sooner or later there’ll be a thundering row. I’ve got an idea Toby’s going to get amongst them and that all this will work out to the Head’s destruction. But we’ve got to stick it out. You see that, don’t you? If you were to get expelled—we should have lost. We’ve got to play a safe game till Toby gets to work.” He stopped. Rouse got slowly to his feet. “Yes,” he said at last, “that’s right. We’ve got to stick it out.” CHAPTER XX THE LAST ROUND