ing tackled. He got up mortified; the advantage which he had won the moment before was lost.

“Never mind, Ned,” said the captain, and gave the signal which meant that Edward should open up a hole for Jim Payne, the right half-back.

With all his force Edward launched himself at Jackson, but this time a moment too soon; Jackson neatly evaded him and then plunged in and grabbing Payne round the waist began rushing him backwards; the St. John’s eleven concentrated behind to help him, and Payne, shouting “Down! Down!” was being slowly borne back towards his own goal.

The referee put a stop to that and called the ball down at the spot where Payne had been tackled.

Edward took his place with a strange superstitious fear; had his luck turned? He had started in too strongly perhaps—yet now Jackson was compelling him to keep up to that pace.