to be played, followed by those who had
placed themselves under his leadership. Lemon and his party were there
before him. Some of them, it must be owned, rather looked down upon him
as a young upstart, and expected an easy victory. Lemon, however, when
he consented to have him as opponent, knew well that he was one not to
be despised, and endeavoured to impress upon his followers the necessity
of playing their best.

"Those youngsters are sharp, active little fellows," he observed. "You
must keep your eyes about you, and your legs going, or they will get the
better of us, depend on that."

Ernest, on his part, addressed the boys on his side, and pointed out to
them that those with whom they were about to contend were big and
strong, and practised players, and that they could only hope to beat
them by activity, watchfulness, and the exercise of their utmost skill.

These principles of action Ernest had learned from his father; they were
such as his own mind eagerly grasped, which he brought into practice in
his subsequent career, and which were the main cause of his success.

Lemon and Ernest tossed up for the first kick. Ernest won. With the
ball raised high in his two hands, he walked rapidly into the middle of
the ground. The sky was blue, the air keen and cutting; a brilliant
glow of exuberant health sat on the cheeks of nearly all the players. A
few only, who had begun to fancy themselves men, and to smoke and to
drink, and to imitate other vices of lawless and ignorant youths--no
longer boys, and yet unworthy of the true manhood they are assuming,--
looked pale. There was a strange mixture of heights and sizes assembled
together; big fellows, like Lemon, Selby, Barber; and little ones, like
Eden, Dawson, Jones, Tomlinson, and others whose names have not hitherto
been mentioned. Ernest, Buttar, Bouldon, and Gregson came between the
two sets as to size, but not far distant from the older ones as to
intelligence and the respect in which they were held. Bouldon would by
himself have been classed differently, but from associating so much with
steady first-class boys--first-class as to estimation--by showing that
he really wished to do right, he gained a good character among his
superiors.

"All ready!" sung out Ernest; and letting the ball drop, he kicked it
with all his might in the direction of Lemon's goal.

Now the opposite party rushed in, and sent it flying back over his head
and the heads of se