o after all it was the system that was at fault, not Fernhurst....
Fairly contentedly he went back by the three-thirty from Waterloo; but
as he saw the evening sun steeping the gravel courts in shadows, and
watched the lights flickering behind the study panes, it came home to
him with a poignant vividness that Fernhurst, which should have been a
home of dreams and of ideas, had, by the inefficiency of a vacillating
system, become immersed in petty intrigues, and was filled with a
generation that was being taught to blind itself to the higher issues.

But in a moment he was caught up in the tear and bustle of an opening
term. There was the rush to the notice-board to see what dormitory he
was in, who were the prefects; then the hurried interview with the
Chief, and the inevitable Health certificate. The meeting of the
eight-ten from Exeter; prayers; the arrival of the last train; and
finally sleep. The hold of tradition is very strong; in a few moments
Gordon had flung aside his doubts and scruples. Arm-in-arm with Collins
he rolled down to the day-room to look at the new boys. There were
twelve of them in all, very frightened, very timid, huddled round the
day-room fire, wondering what was before them.

"Well, Caruthers, what do you think of that lot?" said Collins, as they
swaggered back again to the studies.

"Oh, not much; that fellow second from the left was not bad. What's his
name, oh yes, Morcombe. Believe me, he is some stuff."

"Oh, I thought him rather a washed-out specimen, but, I say, that fat
fellow looks rather a sport. You know, the man like a dormouse."

"Oh yes, that podgy lad. Morgan, he is Welsh, I know about him. He was
captain of the prep, last year at football--not a bad forward, I
believe. Oh, but there's Lovelace--Lovelace."

"Hullo, Caruthers."

In a huge brown coat, Lovelace charged across from the porter's lodge.
"Had any cricket? What price Middlesex--below Hants, rotten county--you
should watch Leicester now."

"Oh, dry up, Middlesex has had bad luck this year." The defeat at Lord's
by Worcester and Kent in the same week was a sore point with Gordon.

"Oh, did they? I call them rotten players. But, look here, who are
pres?"

"Oh, Tester, Betteridge, Clarke, Mansell, all the whole crowd."

"Good God, 'some' pres! Wait a sec. for me. I am only going to see Chief
for a second. I am going to get confirmed, I think. I heard you get off
some work for it. Half a sec."

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