again."

"Fiddlesticks! If you don't do it in 4.48 you deserve to be sent home
to the nursery. But do you see Branscombe gave up before the end?
That's odd. I rather thought he was the better man of the two."

"Branscombe seems to be down on his luck altogether this term," said
Ainger. "I fancy he hasn't a very sweet time at Bickers's."

"But he ought to have won the mile, for all that. He's got the longest
legs in Grandcourt, and used to have the best wind."

"Gone stale," said Ainger, "and growing too fast. Why, he must be as
tall as Railsford already; and he's good for an inch or so more."

"Poor beggar! But what about the high jump?"

"High jump? Smedley and Clipstone a tie, 5 feet 41/2."

"Thank you," said Barnworth. "I may as well scratch at once. I once
jumped that, but that was in the days of my youth."

"Fiddlesticks! If you don't clear 5 feet 5, you deserve to be sent home
to a daily governess," said Ainger, laughing. "And, by the way, I hear
Wake has been jumping finely lately. Mind he doesn't do it for you."

"Wake had better mind his own business," responded Barnworth. "I, a
prefect and a very great person in this house, should greatly resent it
if a Fifth-form fellow beat me at the jump. Upon my word I'd give him
100 lines."

"`Cricket-ball. Clipstone 77 yards.' What a poor throw! Felgate is
sure to beat that, at any rate."

"Not if he can help," said Barnworth. "In fact, if I were you, I would
either scratch him, or see someone else is in too, to make sure of it.
Unless you do, we lose it."

"Do you mean he'd throw short on purpose?"

"My dear fellow, you are just beginning to perceive what anybody who
isn't a born simpleton would have seen for himself a week ago."

Ainger's brow clouded. "I'll enter myself, then," said he.

"No you won't; enter Stafford. Stafford won't get the mile, which you
will. A little success may keep him with us; otherwise the odds are he
may go over to the enemy--_alias_ your friend Felgate."

Ainger wrote Stafford's name down there and then.

In this way the two friends went through the list. It was a strong
record to beat, and if they were doubtful of themselves they were still
more doubtful of some of their juniors.

For instance, Arthur, if he meant to win the long jump under sixteen,
would have to clear 15 feet 8 inches; and Dimsdale, to secure the 100
yards under fifteen, would have to do it in 13 seconds. Tilbury was
safe for th