“You leave that to me,” repeated Coles magnanimously. “He’ll quite see the sense of not forcing himself to the front. And I do think it’d be a pretty rotten exhibition of sportsmanship to tell him he can’t even play on the side at all.”
He paused and looked round them blandly. Nobody responded to his glances; every head had turned instead towards the big clock over the school which was striking the hour, and next moment the group had swiftly dispersed and Coles was left alone looking after them. He was himself in no special hurry. As a matter of fact, he had an appointment with the house master.
At last he slowly pursed his lips and nodded his head.
They would let Roe play. Half the battle had been won.
It was a day to be appreciated, and in token of the fact the whole of Morley’s were ranged along one touch-line and the greater part of Seymour’s along the other, whilst sprinkled here and there in the crowd were representatives of lesser houses expressing their opinion on this game in the detached manner of disinterested onlookers. There were also a couple of spare balls being kicked about, and even those who had never the patience to watch houses other than their own playing had come running to the scene at the prospect of getting in a few kicks themselves. After all, in these days good Rugger was rare. Except where Morley’s were concerned, there had not been any great zest in the house friendlies played to date. It had been too evident that these games would not lead to anything.
But a trial of strength between Morley’s and Seymour’s, with the latter strengthened by the inclusion of Coles at the expense of the former, gave promise of being a little out of the ordinary. Besides Rouse was playing on one side, and it was understood that Roe might be discovered upon the other. There was a chance of the two meeting.
“Perhaps,” one young man said hopefully, “perhaps Rouse’ll scrag him.”
There came at last a significant stir along the crowded ropes. The reason was apparent. Morley’s were coming out.
From the stone steps beside the cloisters from which the chosen of Seymour’s would presently appear Coles had stood watching, and now he turned suddenly to those below and nodded to them.