The sight of Oliver surrounded by these three friends, of whom it would have been hard to say which was the happiest, made a deep impression on the rest of the Fifth, and certainly did not tend to make them feel more comfortable as to what they ought to do in a similar direction. "It's all very well," said Ricketts, when the question was being canvassed for the hundredth time among his immediate friends. "I dare say they are all right, but it makes it jolly uncomfortable for us." "They oughtn't to have given in in this way without letting the rest of us know first," said Braddy. "Just see what a corner it puts us in." "All I can say is," said Tom Senior, "I'll be better satisfied when I know who _did_ collar that paper if Greenfield didn't." "Oh, but," said Simon, seeing a chance, "I can assure you I saw him when he took it. I was going--" "Shut up, you great booby!" cried Ricketts; "who asked _you_ anything about it?" Simon modestly retired hereupon, and Braddy took up the talk. "Yes, who did take the paper? that's it. Greenfield must have done it. Why, he as good as admitted it last term." "Well, then, it's very queer those fellows making up to him," said Ricketts. "It's no use our trying to send the fellow to Coventry when the others don't back us up." "Wraysford always was daft about Greenfield," said Tom Senior, "but I am astonished at Pembury and Bullinger." "All I can say is," said Braddy, "Greenfield will have to ask me before I have anything to do with him." "And do you know," said Ricketts, "I heard to-day he is down to play in the match against the County." "Is he?" exclaimed Braddy in excitement; "very well, then. _I_ shall not play if he does. That's all about that." Ricketts laughed. "Awfully sorry, old man, but you're not in the fifteen this time." Braddy's face was a picture at this moment--he turned red and blue and white in his astonishment. "What!" he exclaimed, as soon as he could find words. "I'm not in the team!" "You'll see the list on the notice board; you'd better go and look." Off went the wretched Braddy to be convinced of his fate. "You're in the team, Ricketts, I see," said Tom Senior. "Shall _you_ play if Greenfield does?" "Don't know," said Ricketts. "A fellow doesn't get a chance to play against the County every day. It's precious awkward." "So it is; that's just where we began, too," said Tom, philosophically. And, as a matter of fact, whenever these young gentlemen of the Fifth started the subject of Greenfield senior among themselves, they always found themselves in the end at the identical place from which they had set out.