“Who keeps the ground wins the victory,” said Cecil.
“Right,” said Ted. “I shall soon tie up Bevis—we must bring cords.”
“You must catch him first,” said Mark.
“Captains must be guarded,” said Val. “Strong guards round them and awful fighting there,” licking his lips at the thought of it.
“Captain Caesar Bevis,” said Tim, who had not spoken before, but had listened very carefully. “Is there to be any punching?”
“Hum!” Bevis hesitated, and looked at Ted.
“I think so,” said Ted, who had long arms and hard fists.
“If there’s punching,” cried Charlie from the oak, into which he had climbed for safety; “if there’s punching, only the big blokes can play.”
“No punching,” said Mark eagerly, not that he feared, being stout and sturdy, but seizing at anything to neutralise Ted’s big soldiers.
“No punching,” shouted a dozen at once; “only pushing.”