What might be described as a mixed reception awaited the players asthey left the field. The pavilion and the parts about the pavilion railswere always packed on the last day of a final house-match, and even innormal circumstances there was apt to be a little sparring between thejuniors of the two houses which had been playing for the cup. In thepresent case, therefore, it was not surprising that Kay's fags took thedefeat badly. The thought that Fenn's presence at the beginning of theinnings, instead of at the end, would have made all the differencebetween a loss and a victory, maddened them. The crowd that seethedin front of the pavilion was a turbulent one.

　　For a time the operation of chairing Fenn up the steps occupied theactive minds of the Kayites. When he had disappeared into the firsteleven room, they turned their attention in other directions. Causticand uncomplimentary remarks began to fly to and fro between therepresentatives of Kay's and Blackburn's. It is not known who actuallyadministered the first blow. But, when Fenn came out of the pavilionwith Kennedy and Silver, he found a stirring battle in progress. Themembers of the other houses who had come to look on at the match stoodin knots, and gazed with approval at the efforts of Kay's andBlackburn's juniors to wipe each other off the face of the earth. Theair was full of shrill battle-cries, varied now and then by a smack ora thud, as some young but strenuous fist found a billet. The fortuneof war seemed to be distributed equally so far, and the combatantswere just warming to their work.

　　"Look here," said Kennedy, "we ought to stop this.""What's the good," said Fenn, without interest. "It pleases them, anddoesn't hurt anybody else.""All the same," observed Jimmy Silver, moving towards the nearestgroup of combatants, "free fights aren't quite the thing, somehow.

　　For, children, you should never let your angry passions rise; yourlittle hands were never made to tear each other's eyes. Dr Watts'

　　_Advice to Young Pugilists_. Drop it, you little beasts."He separated two heated youths who were just beginning a fourth round.

　　The rest of the warriors, seeing Silver and the others, called atruce, and Silver, having read a sort of Riot Act, moved on. Thejuniors of the beaten house, deciding that it would be better not toresume hostilities, consoled themselves by giving three groans for MrKay.

　　"What happened after I left you last night, Fenn?" asked Kennedy.

　　"Oh, I had one of my usual rows with Kay, only rather worse thanusual. I said one or two things he didn't like, and today the old mansent for me and told me to come to his room from two till four. Kayhad run me in for being 'grossly rude'. Listen to those kids. What arow they're making!""It's a beastly shame," said Kennedy despondently.

　　At the school shop Morrell, of Mulholland's, met them. He had beenspending the afternoon with a rug and a novel on the hills at the backof the school, and he wanted to know how the final house-match hadgone. Blackburn's had beaten Mulholland's in one of the early rounds.