he
uncle, who had at last discovered the trap into which he had let himself
fall, from which, however, he could not with grace free himself.

Three hours later the two worthies, having seen many of the sights of
Cambridge with the advantage of Reader's escort, found themselves with
some hundreds of other spectators on the field in which the notable
football-match of Cambridge _versus_ Sandhurst was immediately about to
begin.

Jim Halliday's uncle and aunt could hardly have denied that the thirty
young men, half of them in blue jerseys and half in red, who were now
strolling out onto the ground, were as fine a body of youths as one
could easily encounter in the course of a long day's march. The picture
of health and physique, they seemed almost like some of those heroes of
old beside whom poor everyday man was wont to shrink into
insignificance. Among the blues towered Jim, among the reds Charlie,
two by no means the least noble-looking of the company.

"How well James looks in that dress, my love!" said the aunt.

"My love" could hardly dispute the fact, so he said nothing; but in his
secret heart he began to doubt whether he had not taken an exaggerated
view of the demoralising nature of athletic sports.

Play was soon ordered, and then amidst breathless silence the ball shot
upward, propelled by the vigorous kick of the Sandhurst captain.

It is not my purpose to follow in all its details the famous match of
which I was that day spectator. My muse has other things to sing of
besides rallies and charges, scrimmages and drop kicks, touch-downs and
passings. To me the game was chiefly interesting as it was interesting
to Jim Halliday and Charlie Newcome; but as during the first part of the
match both these worthies were what they would call "out of it"--that
is, on outpost duty--I found the company I was in better worth studying
than the ups and downs of the football.

When the game first began the two good people gazed in silent
astonishment. It always takes some time to understand the humour of a
football-match from outside, and Jim's uncle and aunt consequently for a
time could make nothing out of the constant succession of charges and
scrimmages of which they were witnesses. Presently, however, with the
aid of their own observation and the remarks of people around them, they
came to appreciate the sport better, and grew proportionately
interested. After a time the interest grew to excitement and excite