"The following players protest against the exclusion of two names from the above list, and decline to play on Saturday, viz., Brinkman, Fullerton, Ramshaw major, and Smith." Underneath this, a juvenile hand had carefully inscribed in bold characters-- "Jolly good riddance of bad rubbish." Signed, "Wheatfield, W., D'Arcy, Ashby, Fisher minor." Fisher minor, who signed this latter manifesto by proxy had hastened to carry the news of it to his brother. "The cads!" said the junior. "We are sure to be beaten; I shall never dare to get Rollitt twice running." "What do you mean?" asked the elder brother, turning round. "Oh, don't tell," said Fisher minor, "I didn't mean to say anything; you see, I thought he wouldn't fly out, so I asked him last time." "You! What do you know of Rollitt? Why should he play to oblige you?" Fisher minor, wishing he had not mentioned Rollitt's name, related, somewhat apologetically, the story of the adventure on the Shayle. "Why," said the elder brother, "you saved his life, young 'un. No wonder he's civil to you!" "Oh, please don't tell him I told you." "All right; but what about the boat? It must have been smashed to bits. What did Mrs Wisdom say?" "Oh, Rollitt was very honourable and bought her another. She told me so--and I've seen the new boat." "Rollitt bought it! Why, he's as poor as a church mouse. How could he get the money, I'd like to know?" "He got it the very next day," said Fisher minor. "I suppose he had some; but promise you won't say anything." "What's the use of making a secret of it? I won't say anything unless you like. But I must go to Yorke." The captain was quite prepared for the action of the Moderns. "They've struck," said he. "Now the question is, shall we play on Saturday, or scratch the match?" The unanimous verdict was in favour of playing, whatever the result. "Of course we are never sure of Rollitt until we've got him," said he, "so we may have to play without him." "Would Stratton play for us?" asked some one. "No, don't let's go outside and ask masters. We're in for a licking; but we'll make the best fight we can." So yet another notice appeared on the board before nightfall. "The School team on Saturday will consist of the following." (Here followed the names, all, of course, on the Classical side.) "A meeting of the clubs is summoned for October 3, at four p.m., in Hall." Of these two announcements the first amused, the second perplexed the good young men of the Modern side. The new fifteen consisted half of raw outsiders who had never played in a first-class match before, and were utterly unknown to fame on the football field. But the summons for October 3 was puzzling. Did it mean a general row, or was the captain going to resign, or was an attempt to be made to expel the mutineers?