Thus early, then, had Dick's insistence on his own way brought humiliation to Foxenby. Clowes would never have made such a glaring error as to kick towards his own goal on a still afternoon like this. Clowes would never have let the Cuthbertians cross the half-way line, of course. But then, Clowes didn't happen to be there. He had preferred the fleshpots of Egypt to the County Schools' Cup, and to blame the captain for his absence was short-sighted and unfair.
Blame him they did, all the same. Why had he left Harwood at home? Furthermore, with reserve players to choose from who were bigger and brawnier by far, why did the obstinate beggar insist on including two scuttling Juniors, both of whom were trembling like leaves now under the hypnotic influence of the Octopus?
Fortunate beyond words was it that Lyon proved himself, for the remainder of that scrappy half, almost as great a full-back as the Octopus. He was unjust to himself to take bitter blame for putting the ball through his own goal, but the remembrance of that smarting reverse spurred him into a dazzling exhibition of defensive play. The Cuthbertian forwards could never get round him. He was full-back and centre-half combined, kicking and heading with splendid accuracy, keeping Ennis's hands idle for half-an-hour, smothering every shot in the locker of St. Cuthbert's helpless forward-line.
"They'd never have scored in a blue moon if Osbody hadn't managed it for them," groaned Lake, at half-time.
Dick levelled a straight look at the grumbling forward. "Remember the proverb about people in glass-houses, Lake," he answered. "We haven't shown much scoring form ourselves."
As though to pile on misfortune, Clowes and Broome turned up by a later train—full of useless apologies, of course, but seemingly rather glad of the important difference which their absence from the side had made.
"I think, Forge, if you were to put it fairly to the Octopus, he would consent to us going on instead of Arkness and Osbody," said Broome.
"Don't make childish suggestions, Broome," said Dick. "And please don't flatter yourselves, either of you, that I'd take you on if I could. Better a willing pair of Juniors than a couple of slacking Seniors."
Having sent this well-deserved shaft home, Dick took Arkness and Osbody quietly aside, and spoke to them also for their good, but in a very different way.
"Do you know," he said, "I think we're all three a jolly sight more polite to Bessingham than we need be. We rot round him too much, and help him to become the darling of the crowd. Has it struck either of you that St. Cuthbert's are playing a deal worse, on the whole, than they did last time, when you two were spectators?"