"It's not much to the credit of the school," said Loman, "to have a fellow like him in the fifteen." "It's less credit to have a pack of louts who tumble head over heels every time they try to pick up a ball, and funk a charge twice out of every thrice!" retorted Stansfield, who was one of the peppery order. "Greenfield's worth any half-dozen of you, I tell you." "Better get him to play Landfield by himself," growled Loman, who generally got the worst of it in discussions like this. "It's a plaguey nuisance, that's what it is," said Stansfield; "we are sure to get licked. Who's to play half-back instead of him, I'd like to know?" "Forrester, in the Fourth, plays a very good half-back," said Callonby; "he's tremendously quick on his feet." "Yes, but he can't kick. I've a good mind to put Wraysford in the place. And yet he's such a rattling steady `back' I don't like to move him." "Wraysford told me yesterday," said Wren, "he wasn't going to play." "What!" exclaimed Stansfield, starting up as if he had been shot. "Wraysford not going to play!" "So he said," replied Wren. "Oh, this is a drop too much! Why ever not?" "I don't know. He's been awfully down in the mouth lately; whether it is about the Nightingale, or--" The captain gave a howl of rage. "I wish that miserable brute of a Nightingale had been scragged, that I do! Everything's stopped for the Nightingale! Who cares a button about the thing, I'd like to know? Wraysford can get dozens more of them after the football season's over. Why, the Doctor gave out another scholarship to be gone in for directly after Christmas, only to-day. Can't he go in for that?" "So he will, I expect," said Wren; "but I don't fancy he'll play, all the same, on Saturday." Stansfield groaned. "There go my two best men," he said; "we may as well shut up shop and go in for croquet." A powerful deputation waited on Wraysford that same evening to try to prevail upon him to play in the fifteen. They had hard work to do it. He said he was out of form, and didn't feel in the humour, and was certain they could get on well enough without him. "Oh, no, we can't," said Stansfield. "I say, Wraysford," he added, bluntly, "I expect it's this Nightingale affair's at the bottom of all this nonsense. Can't you possibly patch it up, at any rate till after Saturday? I'd give my head to get you and Greenfield in the team." "Do play, Wraysford," put in Callonby. "Don't let the school be beaten just because you've got a row on with another fellow." "It's not that at all," said Wraysford, feeling and looking very uncomfortable. "It's nothing to do with that. It's just that I'm not in the humour. I'd really rather not." "Oh, look here," cried Stansfield; "that won't wash. Come to oblige me, there's a good fellow."