Hugh gained more knowledge of the finer points of football that evening when Nick, Pop Driver, Guy and Bert threshed it all out in Number 29. Much of the discussion went over his head, but he awoke to the realization that there was a great deal more to football than meets the eyes of the spectator. Nick and Bert argued for ten minutes over one play which had gone awry. Bert declared that it shouldn’t have been called for in the circumstances and Nick proved, to his own satisfaction at least, that it was fundamentally, psychologically, scientifically correct. Whereupon Pop, who had listened without comment, informed Nick that he was wrong. And, for some reason, Nick and everyone else accepted the dictum without question. Much technical talk followed, and Hugh was soon beyond his depth, but he tried hard to understand and stored up a fine collection of questions to ask Bert later. But other interests besides football demanded Hugh’s attention. He was nominated for election to “Lit” by Bert and seconded by Nick and Pop. The Literary Society and The Forum were the rival social and debating clubs. Secret organizations of any sort were tabooed at Grafton, although there was, or was said to be, a certain lower middle-class society known as “Thag” which was supposed to exist in defiance of the law. If it really existed outside the imaginations of lower middlers it was of such slight consequence that faculty winked at it. Hugh might have been put up for The Forum instead of “Lit” had he wished, for Guy was an enthusiastic member of the older club and did his best to get Hugh’s permission to nominate him. Hugh, though, with no real preference, felt that he ought to allow Bert to decide the matter for him, and Bert naturally claimed his chum for his own society. Hugh was also elected, much less formally, to the Canoe Club, and, at Bert’s urging, attended several trials for the Glee Club, to which he was eventually admitted. The elections to The Forum and the Literary Society took place in January, but candidates were meanwhile admitted to a quasi-membership that gave them the use of the club rooms and allowed them to attend meetings, without participation in debates or affairs. In the class rooms Hugh progressed well, for the fiery-locked Mr. Fairway had done his work thoroughly. In fact, Hugh began his career at Grafton most satisfactorily, and progressed serenely and pleasantly and without especial incident along the stream of school life until, just two weeks to a day after his arrival, he struck his first snag. CHAPTER VIII BATTLE!