e out of the paper like
Venus out of the water. A roar of laughter broke out.

"Well, Rudd, I sincerely hope you are insured," murmured Ferguson.

What Rudd said is unprintable. In his bill at the end of the term his
father found there was a charge of ten shillings for damaged property in
Study No. 14. Rudd got less pocket-money the next term.

* * * * *

"I say, you fellows, have you heard the latest? 'The Bull' has kicked me
out of the Colts."

Lovelace came into the changing-room, fuming with rage. There had been a
Colts' trial that afternoon. Buller had cursed furiously and finally
booted Lovelace off the field, with some murmured remarks about "typical
School House slackness."

"It's damned rot," said Bradford. "Because Simonds has made rather an
ass of himself in the last two matches, Bull thinks the whole House is
slack. He gave Turner six to-day just because he hadn't looked up one
word. I hope he doesn't intend to judge the whole House by Simonds."

The House was getting fed up with Simonds. It was all very well working
in moderation for scholarships, but when it came to allowing games to
suffer, things were getting serious. Private inclination cannot stand in
the way of the real business of life. And no one would hesitate to own
that he had come to Fernhurst mainly to play footer.

"But, you know, I don't think 'the Bull's' that sort," Gordon protested;
"he may lose his temper and all that, but I think he's fair."

"Do you?" said Hunter drily.

There was a laugh. As a whole, the House was certain that "the Bull" was
against them.

In a week's time Lovelace was back again in the Colts, and Gordon was
telling his friends what fools they were not to trust "the Bull."

* * * * *

Gordon was confirmed this term. He was rather young; but it was
obviously the thing to do, and, as Mansell said: "It's best to take the
oath when you are more or less 'pi,' and there is still some chance of
remaining so. You can't tell what you will be like in a year or so."

As is the case with most boys, Confirmation had very little effect on
Gordon. He was not an atheist; he accepted Christianity in much the same
way that he accepted the Conservative party. All the best people
believed in it, so it was bound to be all right; but at the same time it
had not the slightest influence over his actions. If he had any religion
at this time it was House football; but