"Any of you chaps coming?" he asked.

Barry and M'Todd thought they would, and the three left the room.

"Nothing like showing a man you don't want him, eh, Bertie? What do you
think?" said Rand-Brown.

Bertie grinned politely.




VI

TREVOR REMAINS FIRM


The most immediate effect of telling anybody not to do a thing is to
make him do it, in order to assert his independence. Trevor's first act
on receipt of the letter was to include Barry in the team against the
Town. It was what he would have done in any case, but, under the
circumstances, he felt a peculiar pleasure in doing it. The incident
also had the effect of recalling to his mind the fact that he had tried
Barry in the first instance on his own responsibility, without
consulting the committee. The committee of the first fifteen consisted
of the two old colours who came immediately after the captain on the
list. The powers of a committee varied according to the determination
and truculence of the members of it. On any definite and important
step, affecting the welfare of the fifteen, the captain theoretically
could not move without their approval. But if the captain happened to