ce. Why couldn't "the Bull" try to see
life as Lovelace saw it? Why must he want everyone to share the same
views as he, look at everything through the same spectacles? It wouldn't
have mattered if he was merely an insignificant busybody like Christy.
He was such a splendid fellow, such a man. It was all such a pity. And
yet he realised that he would have to try and bend his will to that of
Buller; he must endeavour to work side by side with him. It would not do
to have Fernhurst split up into two camps. In the past he had thought he
was doing his best; but "the Bull" wanted absolute subservience. And
what "the Bull" wanted he usually got.

Lovelace, however, took quite a different view. He was mad with Buller.

"Damn it all, it is not the first time the swine has done the dirty on
me. Look at the way he kicked me out of the side last year."

"I know, that's what I told him. And he owned that both of us as
individuals were worth our places, but that we upset the side and rotted
about, and were always up against him."

"Silly ass the man must be. We are keen enough, aren't we? But I damned
well don't see why we should treat footer and cricket like a chapel
service. We can laugh in form if anything funny happens; then why the
hell shouldn't we laugh on the field? And, my God, Caruthers, you did
look an ass when you missed that catch." Lovelace roared with laughter
at the thought of it. "The way you juggled with it, and old Bull tearing
his hair, oh, it was damned funny."

"But, you see, 'the Bull' thinks games are everything, and, damn it all,
they are the things that really matter. We each may have our own private
interests. But games are the thing. Only personally I don't see why we
should not see the funny side of them. To 'the Bull' a dropped catch is
an everlasting disgrace."

"Oh, let 'the Bull' go to blazes, I am sick of him. If he wants to kid
me out of the Colts, he can; and I'll go and enjoy myself on House
games. But look here, there is a Stoics debate to-night and it's nearly
roll-time. You had better go down and bag two seats."

The Stoics society was of elastic proportions, including everyone above
IV. A, for a life subscription of sixpence, and during the winter term
it held meetings every other week in the School House reading-room. The
actual membership was over a hundred, but rarely more than fifty
attended, and of those who went only fifty per cent. paid any attention
to the proceedings. The rest