er at the height of ten feet or thereabouts.

"This is one of the goals," said East, "and you see the other across
there, right opposite, under the Doctor's wall. Well, the match is for
the best of three goals; whichever side kicks two goals wins: and it
won't do, you see, just to kick the ball through these posts, it must go
over the cross bar; any height'll do, so long as it's between the posts.
You'll have to stay in goal to touch the ball when it rolls behind the
posts, because if the other side touch it they have a try at goal. Then
we fellows in quarters, we play just about in front of goal here, and
have to turn the ball and kick it back before the big fellows on the
other side can follow it up. And in front of us all the big fellows
play, and that's where the scrummages are mostly."

Tom's respect increased as he struggled to make out his friend's
technicalities, and the other set to work to explain the mysteries of
"off your side," "drop-kicks," "punts," "places," and the other
intricacies of the great science of football.

"But how do you keep the ball between the goals?" said he. "I can't see
why it mightn't go right down to the chapel."

"Why, that's out of play," answered East. "You see this gravel walk
running down all along this side of the playing-ground, and the line of
elms opposite on the other? Well, they're the bounds. As soon as the
ball gets past them, it's in touch, and out of play. And then whoever
first touches it, has to knock it straight out amongst the players-up,
who make two lines with a space between them, every fellow going on his
own side. Ain't there just fine scrummages then! and the three trees you
see there which come out into the play, that's a tremendous place when
the ball hangs there, for you get thrown against the trees, and that's
worse than any hack."

Tom wondered within himself as they strolled back again towards the
fives' court, whether the matches were really such break-neck affairs as
East represented, and whether, if they were, he should ever get to like
them and play-up well.

He hadn't long to wonder, however, for next minute East cried out,
"Hurra! here's the punt-about,--come along and try your hand at a kick."
The punt-about is the practice ball, which is just brought out and
kicked about anyhow from one boy to another before callings over and
dinner, and at other odd times. They joined the boys who had brought it
out, all small School-house fellows, friends