Tom to exhibit delight he was disappointed. Tom said "Thank you, sir," in a listless voice and looked a trifle bored.
"I hope," said the instructor, "the news hasn't displeased you?"
"Sir?" Tom viewed him questioningly. "Oh, no, sir." Then, recollecting that the removal of restrictions would enable him to see the Wolcott game, he added with a touch of animation: "It's great, Mr. Wyatt. I thought, maybe, I wouldn't get to Cotterville Saturday."
"I see. And, of course, you can play football again, Kemble."
"Not much use, sir. The team gets through Wednesday."
"Gets through? To be sure. So it does. Hm. I'd forgotten that." Mr. Wyatt looked so puzzled that Tom wondered. Tom didn't know, of course, that Mr. Babcock had dropped in on "Alick" last evening and that his, Tom's, affairs had come up for discussion; nor that Mr. Wyatt's puzzlement had to do with "Cocky's" efforts to secure the removal of restrictions from a boy whose football usefulness was practically at an end! "Well," continued the instructor, "I trust that hereafter—er—we shall not have to—" His thoughts returned to Mr. Babcock—"Hm, that will be all, Kemble."
"Yes, sir," said Tom, glad of release.
Coincidences do sometimes happen outside of fiction. Less than thirty seconds later, having reached the foot
