A powerful deputation waited on Wraysford that same evening to try to prevail upon him to play in the fifteen. They had hard work to do it. He said he was out of form, and didn’t feel in the humour, and was certain they could get on well enough without him.
“Oh, no, we can’t,” said Stansfield. “I say, Wraysford,” he added, bluntly, “I expect it’s this Nightingale affair’s at the bottom of all this nonsense. Can’t you possibly patch it up, at any rate till after Saturday? I’d give my head to get you and Greenfield in the team.”
“Do play, Wraysford,” put in Callonby. “Don’t let the school be beaten just because you’ve got a row on with another fellow.”
“It’s not that at all,” said Wraysford, feeling and looking very uncomfortable. “It’s nothing to do with that. It’s just that I’m not in the humour. I’d really rather not.”
“Oh, look here,” cried Stansfield; “that won’t wash. Come to oblige me, there’s a good fellow.”
In the end Wraysford gave in, and the captain went off half consoled to complete his preparations, and inveigh in his odd moments against all Nightingales and Coventrys, and examinations, and all such enemies and stumbling-blocks to the glorious old English sport of football.
Loman looked forward to the coming match with quite good spirits. Indeed, it was a long time since he had felt or appeared so light-hearted.
That very day he had received a most unexpected present in the shape of a five-pound note from an aunt, which sum he had promptly and virtuously put into an envelope and sent down to Mr Cripps in further liquidation of his “little bill.” Was ever such luck? And next week the usual remittance from home would be due; there would be another three or four pounds paid off. Loman felt quite touched at the thought of his own honesty and solvency. If only everybody in the world paid their debts as he did, what a happy state of things it would be for the country!
So, as I said, Loman looked forward to the football match in quite good spirits, just as a man who has been working hard and anxiously for eleven long months looks forward to his well-earned summer holiday. Things were looking up with him, and no mistake.
And then, just like his luck, the Doctor had that same day made the announcement, already referred to, of another scholarship to be competed for directly after Christmas. It was for Sixth form boys under seventeen, and he meant to go in for it! True, this scholarship was only for twenty pounds for a single year, but that was something. As far as he could see, Wraysford, who would get his move up at Christmas, would be the only man in against him, if he did go in, and he fancied he could beat Wraysford. For in the Nightingale exam he had not really tried his best, but this time he would and astonish everybody. Greenfield would scarcely go in for this exam, even if he got his move up; it was safe to conclude his recent exploit would suffice him in the way of exams, for some time to come.