The captain played a magnificent game, and covered himself with glory; but in spite of all that he and his men could do, after a gallant fight the visitors claimed the victory with a score of four goals to two.
On the morning after the match, just before school, the members of the Triple Alliance were strolling across the entrance-hall, when they noticed a crowd of boys surrounding the notice-board.

The gathering seemed to consist mainly of members of the lower classes, and the manner in which they were elbowing each other aside, laughing, talking, and gesticulating, showed that some announcement of rather uncommon interest and importance must be exposed to view.
Our three friends hurried forward to join the group.

Pinned to the board with an old pen-nib was a half-sheet of scribbling-paper, and inscribed thereon, in what was evidently a disguised handwriting, were some verses, which were seen at once to refer to the previous afternoon's defeat.

They were as follows:-- COLLEGE V.TOWN.
_Air_, "Bonnie Dundee." To the boys of the college 'twas Allingford spoke: "When we play the Town team there are heads to be broke; So let ten veteran players come now follow me, And fight for the honour of ancient Ronleigh." _Chorus_.
"Then put up your goal-posts, and mark your touch-line; We'll grind them to powder, and put them in brine.
Let boarders and day boys all come out to see Us fight for the honour of ancient Ronleigh." The ten merry men mustered quick at his call-- There were forwards, and half-backs, and goal-keeper tall; But one who was wont in the forefront to be No longer was seen in the ranks of Ronleigh.
_Chorus_: "Then put up your goal-posts, and mark," etc.
Too soon their rejoicings and empty their boast, For the Town fellows very soon had them on toast; And the bystanders sighed as they saw frequently The ball pass the "back" of our ancient Ronleigh.
_Chorus_: "Then put up your goal-posts, and mark," etc.
From this draw a moral, you fellows who rule: Sink personal spite when you act for the school; And whatever your notions of prefects may be, Let's have the right men in the team at Ronleigh.
_Chorus_: "Then put up your goal-posts, and mark," etc.
Something in these doggerel lines excited Jack Vance's wrath above measure, the last verse especially raising his anger to boiling-point, so that it fairly bubbled over.

Jack was a loyal-hearted youngster; he was nothing to Allingford, but Allingford was something to him, as head and leader of the community of which he himself was a member.
The sight of the captain toiling manfully through the long, unequal contest of the previous afternoon, doing practically double work to make up for the loss of his fellow-back, and to prevent a losing game degenerating into a rout, rose up once more before the small boy's mind, and, as has been said before, his wrath boiled over.
"Well, I call that a beastly shame.