rd to their last match at Fernhurst with the cheerful
knowledge that they had no chance of winning, and that therefore they
had nothing to fear of disappointment. It would be a jolly friendly game
to finish up with. The days raced past so quickly that it came as a
shock to Gordon to discover that his last week, with its examinations
and threatening form lists, had really come.

"I shall be sorry to leave, you know," he said to Foster. "I am not at
all looking forward to the army."

"Last Christmas I would have given anything to get out of this place,"
Foster answered. "But now, my Lord; I wish I was coming back. We've had
a good time this term."

The first three days of that last week it rained incessantly. The
Senior final was postponed till the Thursday. Examinations took their
desultory course. Gordon had often in the past slacked in exams, but
never had he treated them in quite the same indifferent way as he did
this term. He had no intention of spoiling his last days by working.
Every morning the Sixth went in for a three hours' paper, at
nine-thirty. Before eleven Gordon had always shown up his papers, and
strolled out of the room to read _Paradise Lost_ in his study. In the
afternoon he usually managed to toss off the two hours' exam. in three
quarters of an hour.

He was "finishing in style." On Thursday the rain stopped at last, and
the Senior final began.

"Foster," said Gordon, as the two walked down to the field, "I believe
ours is one of the very worst sides that ever got into the final. There
are two Firsts, you and I. Collins was tried for the Colts two years
ago. There are eight others."

"Oh, you forget Bray, a fine, free bat with an unorthodox style. But ...
I believe he made fourteen on a House game the other day."

"Yes, that is a recommendation, of course, but somehow I don't think we
shall win."

"Win!" echoed Foster. "We shall be lucky if we avoid an innings defeat."

And this supposition proved still more likely when half-an-hour later
the House, having won the toss, had lost three wickets for as many runs.
Jack Whitaker, now captain of Buller's, had gone on to bowl first from
the end nearest the National Schools. In his first over he clean bowled
Gordon, and in the next he got Foster leg before, and Bradford caught in
the slips.

"I foresee," said Collins, "that we shall spend most of this game
fielding. A poor way of occupying our last few days."

"That's where I score," said Gord