Yorke, with one of his beautifully neat "places," had
sent the ball spinning over the bar, as unmistakable a goal as the
School had ever kicked.

The cheers which followed this exploit were completely lost on Rollitt,
who, having completed his run, dawdled back to his fellow-forwards, and
had not even the curiosity to watch the issue of the captain's kick.

As the sides changed ends, Dangle, with a black face, came up to him.

"You knocked me over on purpose then, you cad, I could see it!" snarled
he.

"Get out!" said Rollitt, shouldering the speaker aside.

This was too much for Dangle. Full of rage, he went to Yorke.

"I don't mean to stand this, Yorke. Rollitt--"

"Shut up!" said the captain. "Spread out, you fellows, and be ready.
Go to your place, Dangle."

Dangle sullenly obeyed.

"I'll let you see if I'm to be insulted and made a fool of before all
the school," growled he. "Catch me bothering myself any more."

As if to give him an opportunity of enforcing his protest, the kick-off
of the losing side fell close at his feet. He picked it up, and for a
moment the sporting instinct prompted him to make a rush. But he caught
sight of Yorke and Rollitt both looking his way, and the bad blood in
him prevailed. He deliberately sent the ball with a little side-kick
into Blackstone's hands, who, running forward a step, sent it, with a
mighty drop, right over the School line. It almost grazed the goal post
as it passed, and it was all Fullerton could do to save the touch-down
before the whole advance guard of the enemy were upon him.

The whole thing had been so wilfully done that there was no mistaking
its meaning.

"Hold the ball!" cried Yorke, as the side ranged out for the kick-off.
"Dangle, get off the field."

"What do you mean?" said Dangle, very white.

"What I say. You'll either do that or be kicked off."

Here Clapperton interposed.

"Don't go, Dangle; he's no right to turn you off or talk to you like
that before the field because of an accident. If you go, I'll go too."

"Go, both of you, then," said Yorke.

The two Modern boys looked for a moment as though they doubted their own
ears. What could Yorke mean, in the middle of a critical match like
this?

He evidently meant what he said.

"Are you going or not?" said he.

It was a choice of evils. To play now would be to surrender. To stay
where they were would render them liable to a kicking in the presence of
all Fellsgar