10 a.m
The day of the great match came at last . The Rendlesham men , who had to come from a distance , were not due till one o'clock , and , as may be imagined , the interval was peculiarly trying to some of the inhabitants of Fellsgarth . The farce of morning school was an ordeal alike to masters and boys . If gazing up at the clouds could bring down the rain , a deluge should have fallen before 10 a.m. . As the hour approached the impatience rose to fever heat . It was the first match of the season . For the last three years the two teams had met in deadly combat , and each time the match had ended in a draw , with not one goal kicked on either side .