1904
[Dedication]
To
THAT PRINCE OF SLACKERS,
HERBERT WESTBROOK
Chapter
I THE FIFTEENTH PLACE
II THE GOLD BAT
III THE MAYOR’S STATUE
IV THE LEAGUE’S WARNING
V MILL RECEIVES VISITORS
VI TREVOR REMAINS FIRM
VII “WITH THE COMPLIMENTS OF THE LEAGUE”
VIII O’HARA ON THE TRACK
IX MAINLY ABOUT FERRETS
X BEING A CHAPTER OF ACCIDENTS
XI THE HOUSE-MATCHES
XII NEWS OF THE GOLD BAT
XIII VICTIM NUMBER THREE
XIV THE WHITE FIGURE
XV A SPRAIN AND A VACANT PLACE
XVI THE RIPTON MATCH
XVII THE WATCHERS IN THE VAULT
XVIII O’HARA EXCELS HIMSELF
XIX THE MAYOR’S VISIT
XX THE FINDING OF THE BAT
XXI THE LEAGUE REVEALED
XXII A DRESS REHEARSAL
XXIII WHAT RENFORD SAW
XXIV CONCLUSION
“Outside!”
“Don’t be an idiot, man. I baggedit first.”
“My dear chap, I’ve been waiting herea month.”
“When you fellows have quitefinished rotting about in front of that bath don’tlet me detain you.”
“Anybody seen that sponge?”
“Well, look here”—this in atone of compromise—“let’s tossfor it.”
“All right. Odd man out.”
All of which, being interpreted, meantthat the first match of the Easter term had just cometo an end, and that those of the team who, being dayboys, changed over at the pavilion, instead of performingthe operation at leisure and in comfort, as did themembers of houses, were discussing the vital question—whowas to have first bath?
The Field Sports Committee at Wrykyn—thatis, at the school which stood some half-mile outsidethat town and took its name from it—werenot lavish in their expenditure as regarded the changingaccommodation in the pavilion. Letters appearedin every second number of the Wrykinian, someshort, others long, some from members of the school,others from Old Boys, all protesting against the conditionof the first, second, and third fifteen dressing-rooms. “Indignant” would inquire acidly, in halfa page of small type, if the editor happened to beaware that there was no hair-brush in the second room,and only half a comb. “Disgusted O. W.”would remark that when he came down with the WanderingZephyrs to play against the third fifteen, thewater supply had suddenly and mysteriously failed,and the W.Z.’s had been obliged to go home asthey were, in a state of primeval grime, and he thoughtthat this was “a very bad thing in a school ofover six hundred boys”, though what the numberof boys had to do with the fact that there was nowater he omitted to explain. The editor wouldexpress his regret in brackets, and things would goon as before.
There was only one bath in the firstfifteen room, and there were on the present occasionsix claimants to it. And each claimant was ofthe fixed opinion that, whatever happened subsequently,he was going to have it first. Finally, on thesuggestion of Otway, who had reduced tossing to afine art, a mystic game of Tommy Dodd was played. Otway having triumphantly obtained first innings,the conversation reverted to the subject of the match.
The Easter term always opened witha scratch game against a mixed team of masters andold boys, and the school usually won without any greatexertion. On this occasion the match had beenrather more even than the average, and the team hadonly just pulled the thing off by a couple of triesto a goal. Otway expressed an opinion that theschool had played badly.
“Why on earth don’t youforwards let the ball out occasionally?” heasked. Otway was one of the fi