“What an awful row you have been making,” he said, “I heard it all across the field. Why don’t you choose sides?”
“Who’s to choose?” said Ted, as if he did not know that he should be one of the leaders. He was the tallest and biggest of them all, a head and shoulders above Bevis.
“You, of course,” came in chorus.
“And you needn’t look as if you didn’t want to,” shouted somebody, at which there was a laugh.
“Now, Bevis, Bevis! Sides.” They crowded round, and pulled Bevis into the circle.
“Best two out of three,” said Mark. “Here’s a penny.”
“Lend me one,” said Ted.
Phil handed him the coin.
“You’ll never get it back,” cried one of the crowd. Ted was rather known for borrowing on the score of his superior strength.
“Bevis, you’re dreaming,” as Bevis stood quiet and motionless, still in his far-away mood. “Toss.”