thirty points, the match stopped. This prevented those massacres which
do so much towards crushing all the football out of the members of the
beaten team; and it kept the winning team from getting slack, by urging
them on to score their thirty points before half-time. There were some
houses--notoriously slack--which would go for a couple of seasons
without ever playing the second half of a match.

Having polished off the men of Appleby, the Donaldson team trooped off
to the other game to see how Seymour's were getting on with Day's. It
was evidently an exciting match. The first half had been played to the
accompaniment of much shouting from the ropes. Though coming so early
in the competition, it was really the semi-final, for whichever team
won would be almost certain to get into the final. The school had
turned up in large numbers to watch.

"Seymour's looking tired of life," said Clowes. "That would seem as if
his fellows weren't doing well."

"What's been happening here?" asked Trevor of an enthusiast in a
Seymour's house cap whose face was crimson with yelling.

"One goal all," replied the enthusiast huskily. "Did you beat
Appleby's?"

"Yes. Thirty points before half-time. Who's been doing the scoring
here?"

"Milton got in for us. He barged through out of touch. We've been
pressing the whole time. Barry got over once, but he was held up.
Hullo, they're beginning again. Buck up, Sey-_mour's_."