But in his _detour_ he had given time for Blackstone, the Rendlesham fast runner, to get under way and sweep down to meet him just as he reeled out of the clutches of the half- backs.

Next moment Yorke was down, and Dangle was not there to pick up the ball.
This rush served pretty well to exhibit the strong and weak points of either side.

It was evident, for instance, that both Ranger and Yorke were men to be marked by the other side, and that Dangle, on the contrary, was playing slack.
A series of scrimmages followed, in the midst of which the ball gravitated back to the centre of the field.

Runs were attempted on either side; once or twice the ball went out into touch, and once or twice a drop-kick sent it flying over the forwards' heads.

But it came back inevitably, so that after twenty minutes' hard play it lay in almost the identical spot from which it had first been kicked off.
The onlookers began to feel a little depressed.