Cotton was putting up a pair of dumb-bells three hundred
times, and his crony was counting and criticising his form. The Perry
Exhibition did not enter Todd's head, but his bet--"such a gilt-edged
one," he chuckled--was never once out of it. And Todd's bet had some
momentous consequences for him, too.
CHAPTER VI
THE LAST CAP
While Acton was thus making such strenuous exertions to lift Biffen's out
of the mire, Bourne was finding out the whole unpainted beauty of the
situation--as far as it concerned himself.
The experimental footer elevens were chosen in what, I believe, is the
usual manner. The old members of the school eleven formed a committee, and
chose fellows to play in the weekly matches, and if any one of them showed
special talent he was, of course, retained, and by-and-by the captain gave
him his school cap, and he was henceforth a full-blown member of the
eleven, with a seat on the committee like any of the old gang.
There were left of the last year's team five players--Bourne, Mivart,
Vercoe, Baines, and Roberts. The final promotion of fellows into the
eleven, however, rested with the captain alone, and when he considered any
fellow good enough he signified the same by presenting him with the blue
and silver cap of St. Amory.
The giving away of a cap had become quite a function. Whenever there was
the rumour that some one was to have a cap after a match, pretty well the
whole school swarmed round the pavilion, and when the new member came out
in all the glory of his new blue and silver he got the cheers which his
play or popularity deserved, and especially did the new member's house
distinguish themselves in the shouting.
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