ery decent sort of kid, much (in the School House
estimation) above the standard of Buller's day-room. He was a little
rowdy and ostentatious, but had the justification of being really good
at something. He was a promising half-back, and his cricket was so good
that there was talk of his getting a trial for the School Eleven. Gordon
and he got on rather well. But he was very young; under fifteen, in
fact, and very impetuous.

About a week before the Thirds "the Bull" was discussing the match in
the dormitories. Jack was very full of words.

"I say, sir, isn't it awfully lucky for Hazlitt that he is not playing?"

"The Bull" was surprised. Only that evening he had been talking with
Hazlitt, and telling him how sorry he was that there was no place for
him in the side.

"Why, Jack? I don't know what you mean."

"Oh, well, you see, sir, all the School House fellows had sworn to lay
him out!"

"You must not talk like that, Jack. It is not sporting. And it stirs up
ill feeling in the school. You can't honestly believe that any gentleman
would play a game in that spirit. You have no proof of what you say
except mere rumour, I suppose. You mustn't talk like that."

"The Bull" was not at all pleased, and walked away to turn out the
light. Whitaker saw he had gone too far and had said more than he meant
to. But he couldn't stand the idea that "the Bull" should think he had
been repeating merely idle chatter.

"But, sir, I know for certain that in the Christy's match the School
House men were offering money to Christy's to lay Hazlitt out."

Buller stopped with his hand on the gas-tap.

"That is a very serious accusation, Jack. Are you telling me that any
Fernhurst boys so lack sportsmanlike feeling as to bribe boys in other
houses to lay out their rivals, so that it will be easier for them to
win."

"Oh, sir, I don't think that they meant that."

"Well, you said it, at any rate."

The gas went out suddenly. "The Bull" strode out without saying
good-night. In his study he turned over in his mind the extraordinary
story he had heard. If what Jack had told him was the truth, Fernhurst
football, which was to him, and to many others, the finest thing in the
world, had become little better than league professionalism. Bribes were
being offered for men to be laid out. He had never heard of such a
thing. There was no one to remind him that the offering of bribes means
little to a schoolboy, and the mere talk of "laying pe