ENERALSHIP.

And now that the two sides have fairly sundered, and each occupies its
own ground, and we get a good look at them, what absurdity is this?
You don't mean to say that those fifty or sixty boys, in white
trousers, many of them quite small, are going to play that huge mass
opposite? Indeed I do, gentlemen; they're going to try, at any rate,
and won't make such a bad fight of it either, mark my word: for hasn't
old Brooke won the toss, with his lucky half-penny, and got choice of
goals and kick-off? The new ball you may see lie there quite by
itself, in the middle, pointing toward the School or island goal; in
another minute it will be well on its way there. Use that minute in
remarking how the School-house side is drilled. You will see, in the
first place, that the sixth form boy who has charge of goal has spread
his force (the goal-keepers) so as to occupy the whole space behind
the goal-posts at distances of about five yards apart; a safe and
well-kept goal is the foundation of all good play. Old Brooke is
talking to the captain of quarters; and now he moves away. See how
that youngster spreads his men (the light brigade) carefully over the
ground, half-way between their own goal and the body of their own
players-up (the heavy brigade). These again play in several bodies;
there is young Brooke and the bull dogs--mark them well--they are the
"fighting brigade," the "die-hards," larking[43] about at leap-frog to
keep themselves warm, and playing tricks on one another. And on each
side of old Brooke, who is now standing in the middle of the ground
and just going to kick-off, you see a separate wing of players-up,
each with a boy of acknowledged prowess to look to--here Warner, and
there Hedge; but over all is old Brooke, absolute as he of Russia,[44]
but wisely and bravely ruling over willing and worshipping subjects, a
true foot-ball king. His face is earnest and careful as he glances a
last time over his array, but full of pluck and hope; the sort of look
I hope to see in my general when I go out to fight.

[43] #Larking#: frolicking.

[44] #He of Russia#: the Czar.

The School side is not organized in the same way. The goal-keepers are
all in lumps, anyhow and nohow; you can't distinguish between the
players-up and the boys in quarters, and there is divided leadership;
but with such odds in strength and weight, it must take more than that
to hinder them from winning; and so their leaders seem to