red runs was no fault of his. He
had gone in first wicket down, and stayed till the close.

"It was splendid! You ought to be a cert. for your Colts' cap. 'The
Bull' was fearfully bucked."

"Oh, I don't know; it was not so very much." In his heart of hearts
Gordon was pretty certain he would get his cap; but it would never do to
show what he thought.

"Oh, rot, my good man," burst out Lovelace. "You didn't give a chance
after the first over. And, by Jove, that was a bit of luck then."

"Yes, you know, I have a good deal of luck one way and another. I
haven't got in a single row yet; and I am always being missed."

"And some fellows have no luck at all. Now Foster was batting
beautifully before he was run out; never saw such a scandalous mix-up.
All the other man's fault. He bowled well, too. I shouldn't be a bit
surprised if he didn't get his Colts' cap. I know 'the Bull' likes him."

"Do you think so?" said Gordon. He did not know why, but he rather hoped
Foster would not get his cap. He himself would be captain of A-K Junior
next year. It would be better if he was obviously senior to Foster. He
was going to be the match-winning factor; and, so far as seniority goes,
there is not much to choose between men who get their colours on the
same day.

"Of course he won't if you don't," Mansell said, "but I think he's
worth it. I say, let's have a feed to-night. There's just time before
hall to order some stuff. Lovelace, rush off to the tuck-shop, and put
it down to my account."

Gordon found it impossible to work during hall; he fidgeted nervously.
He felt as he had felt on the last day of his first term before
prize-giving. He knew if he was going to get his Colts' cap he would get
it early that night. Stewart always gave colours during first hall. He
sat and waited nervously; work became quite impossible. He looked
through _The Daily Telegraph_ and flung it aside; then picked up _The
London Mail_; that was rather more in his line.

There was a sound of talking down the passage. He heard Clarke's voice
saying:

"Yes, down there, third study down, No. 16."

A second later there was a knock on the door. He managed to gulp out:
"Come in."

"Gratters on your Colts' cap, Caruthers. Well played!"

Stewart shook hands with him. The next minute Gordon heard him walking
to the school notice-board in the cloister. He was pinning up the
notice.

Gordon sat quite still; his happiness was too great....

No one is al