The story revolves around the football team at a school, with a focus on the character of Payne, who is considered a certain candidate for his colours but has been slacking off due to this perceived certainty. The football secretary, Walkinshaw, devises a plan to motivate Payne by leaving him out of the next game and making him captain of the Second Fifteen instead. Payne takes Walkinshaw's advice and buckles up, playing an exceptional game that ends in a draw with the First Fifteen. However, during this game, Barrett is injured by Payne's tackling, and Reade suffers a broken ankle when the Second scrum collapses on top of him. Despite these injuries, Walkinshaw remains convinced that his plan has worked and continues to push for Payne's promotion to captain of the First Fifteen. Eventually, the team wins the Windybury match, with Payne scoring the try, and he is awarded his colours by Grey. The story satirizes the school system and the characters' personalities, particularly Walkinshaw's well-meaning but idiotic nature. The tone is humorous and lighthearted, with a focus on the absurdity of the situation and the characters' reactions to it.
By P. G. Wodehouse · First published 1920 · Genre: Humor, Fiction, Comedy