Tom’s respect increased as he struggled to make out his friend’s technicalities, and the other set to work to explain the mysteries of “off your side,” “drop-kicks,” “punts,” “places,” and the other intricacies of the great science of football.

“But how do you keep the ball between the goals?” said he; “I can’t see why it mightn’t go right down to the chapel.”

“Why; that’s out of play,” answered East.  “You see this gravel-walk running down all along this side of the playing-ground, and the line of elms opposite on the other?  Well, they’re the bounds.  As soon as the ball gets past them, it’s in touch, and out of play.  And then whoever first touches it has to knock it straight out amongst the players-up, who make two lines with a space between them, every fellow going on his own side.  Ain’t there just fine scrummages then!  And the three trees you see there which come out into the play, that’s a tremendous place when the ball hangs there, for you get thrown against the trees, and that’s worse than any hack.”

Tom wondered within himself, as they strolled back again towards the fives court, whether the matches were really such break-neck affairs as East represented, and whether, if they were, he should ever get to like them and play up well.

He hadn’t long to wonder, however, for next minute East cried out, “Hurrah! here’s the punt-about; come along and try your hand at a kick.”  The punt-about is the practice-ball, which is just brought out and kicked about anyhow from one boy to another before callings-over and dinner, and at other odd times.  They joined the boys who had brought it out, all small School-house fellows, friends of East; and Tom had the pleasure of trying his skill, and performed very creditably, after first driving his foot three inches into the ground, and then nearly kicking his leg into the air, in vigorous efforts to accomplish a drop-kick after the manner of East.

Presently more boys and bigger came out, and boys from other houses on their way to calling-over, and more balls were sent for.  The crowd thickened as three o’clock approached; and when the hour struck, one hundred and fifty boys were hard at work.  Then the balls were held, the master of the week came down in cap and gown to calling-over, and the whole school of three hundred boys swept into the big school to answer to their names.

“I may come in, mayn’t I?” said Tom, catching East by the arm, and longing to feel one of them.

“Yes, come along; nobody’ll say anything.  You won’t be so eager to get into calling-over after a month,” replied his friend; and they marched into the big school together, and up to the farther end, where that illustrious form, the lower fourth, which had the honour of East’s patronage for the time being, stood.