Then the anger of the two simmered down, each having given and received
some very choice compliments, and as these little breezes were usual
between the two, ten minutes afterwards they were amiably entertaining
each other. Cotton was putting up a pair of dumb-bells three hundred
times, and his crony was counting and criticising his form. The Perry
Exhibition did not enter Todd's head, but his bet--"such a gilt-edged
one," he chuckled--was never once out of it. And Todd's bet had some
momentous consequences for him, too.




CHAPTER VI

THE LAST CAP


While Acton was thus making such strenuous exertions to lift Biffen's out
of the mire, Bourne was finding out the whole unpainted beauty of the
situation--as far as it concerned himself.

The experimental footer elevens were chosen in what, I believe, is the
usual manner. The old members of the school eleven formed a committee, and
chose fellows to play in the weekly matches, and if any one of them showed
special talent he was, of course, retained, and by-and-by the captain gave
him his school cap, and he was henceforth a full-blown member of the
eleven, with a seat on the committee like any of the old gang.

There were left of the last year's team five players--Bourne, Mivart,
Vercoe, Baines, and Roberts. The final promotion of fellows into the