m were. The only thing he realised was that for those who wore a
blue and gold ribbon laws ceased to exist. It was apparently rather
advantageous to get into the Fifteen. He had not looked on athletics in
that light before. Obviously his preparatory school had failed
singularly to keep level with the times. He had always been told by the
masters there that games were only important for training the body. But
at Fernhurst they seemed the one thing that mattered. To the athlete all
things are forgiven. There was clearly a lot to learn.

CHAPTER II: FINDING HIS FEET

The new boy's first week at a Public School is probably the most
wretched he will ever pass in his life. It is not that he is bullied.
Boots are not shied at him when he says his prayers; he is not tossed in
a blanket; it is merely that he is utterly lonely, is in constant fear
of making mistakes, is never certain of what may happen next, and so
makes for himself troubles that do not exist. And when Gordon wrote
home to his people at the end of his second day it did not need a very
clever mother to read between the lines and see that her son was
hopelessly miserable.

His worries began at once. On the first day of term discipline is, of
course, very slack. There is only an hour's work, which is, for the most
part, spent in finding out what books are needed. There is no
preparation set for the evening, breakfast is at eight-thirty instead of
seven-forty-five, and it does not matter how late anyone comes in. And
so when, at eight o'clock, the School House butler, who had watched many
generations pass by with the same imperturbable smile, walked down the
dormitories ringing a horribly cracked bell, no one paid any attention.
There was tons of time. Ordinarily no one ever got up till the quarter,
and to-day--well, twenty past would be ample. A voice from the end of
the room muttered drowsily: "Damn that bell." But besides that nothing
happened. Gordon was fearfully perplexed. He had expected everyone to
leap out of bed, seize a towel and rush to the shower-bath, but no one
had moved. Could it be possible that they were still asleep and had not
heard the bell? It seemed incredible, but it might be so. And if it
were, ought he to wake them up? It seemed rather cheek for a new boy,
but then, supposing the whole dormitory were late.

Greatly daring, he stretched out a hand and touched the arm of the boy
sleeping next him. The individual in question merely t