Bevis tossed, the penny spun, and he caught it on the back of his hand; Mark nudged him.
“Cry.”
“Head,” said Ted. Mark nudged again; but it was a head. Mark stamped his foot.
“Tail,” and it was a tail; Ted won the toss.
“I told you how to do it,” whispered Mark to Bevis in a fierce whisper, “and you didn’t.”
“Choose,” shouted everybody. Ted beckoned to Val, who came and stood behind him. He was the next biggest, very easy tempered and a favourite, as he would give away anything.
“Choose,” shouted everybody again. It was Bevis’s turn, and of course he took Mark. So far it was all understood, but it was now Ted’s turn, and no one knew who he would select. He looked round and called Phil, a stout, short, slow-speaking boy, who had more pocket-money, and was more inclined to books than most of them.
“Who shall I have?” said Bevis aside to Mark.
“Have Bill,” said Mark. “He’s strong.”
Bill was called, and came over. Ted took another—rank and file—and then Bevis, who was waking up, suddenly called “Cecil.”