SPORTS DAY

One bright Saturday n October, towards the end of my first year in school, we held our Inter-House Athletics championships.

 It was a perfect day, with never a cloud in the sky, and the whole school was buzzing with a pleasurable excitement form the moment the first boy awoke and began to discuss the chances of each House with his friend in the next bed. Lessons and examinations were temporarily forgotten, and the heroes of the hour were our best athletes, who strode about the compound like young Olympians, quite conscious of how our hopes and fears were pinned on them that day.

For me, an insignificant little second-former, it was all a never-to-be-forgotten experience.

My house was Agley, and, during the heats of the previous week, our nearest rivals, Livingstone, had scored 16 points to our 18. it was going to be a near thing if we intended to carry off the school shield in Livingstone, and as we worked that morning, pegging colored flags around the outer lane of the track on the sports-field our friendship almost ended in blows as we discussed the merits of our respective champions. Fortunately for us a prefect passed as our arguments were becoming violent.

 "come on, you two," he snapped, "no time for any of that. Help me to carry this bunting over to the pavilion--and look sharp about it!"