and
could think of nothing but cricket.

As he sat cross-legged on the grass among half a dozen youngsters like
himself, he even began to forget that he was a new boy, and was
surprised to find himself holding familiar converse with one and another
of his companions.

"Well bowled, sir!" shouted Master Paul, as a very swift ball from
Ricketts took Bullinger's middle stump clean out of the
ground--"rattling well bowled! I say," he added, turning round; "if
Ricketts bowls like that to-day week, the others will be nowhere."

"Oh," said Stephen, to whom this remark seemed to be addressed.

Master Paul looked sharply round.

"Hullo, young 'un, is that you? Jolly good play, isn't it? Who are you
for, A or Z?"

"What do you mean?"

"Mean? Do you back the A's or the Z's? that's what I mean. Oh, I
suppose you don't twig, though. A to M, you know, against N to Z."

"Oh," said Stephen, "I back the A to M's, of course; my brother is in
that half."

"So he is--isn't that him going in now? Yes; you see if Ricketts
doesn't get him out in the first over!"

Stephen watched most eagerly and anxiously. They were not playing a
regular game, only standing up to be bowled at in front of the nets, or
fielding at fixed places; but each ball, and each hit, and each piece of
fielding, was watched and applauded as if a victory depended on it, for
out of those playing to-day the two elevens for the Alphabet match were
to be chosen; and out of those two elevens, as every one knew, the
School eleven, which would play the County in June, was to be selected.
Oliver, despite Paul's prophecy, stood out several overs of Rickett's,
and Loman's, and the school captain's, one after the other, cutting some
of their balls very hard, and keeping a very steady guard over his
wicket. At last a ball of Loman's got past him and snicked off his
bails.

Stephen looked inquiringly round at Paul, and then at the small knot of
Sixth fellows who were making notes of each candidate's play.

"He's all right," said Paul; "I guess Raleigh," (that was the school
captain) "didn't fancy his balls being licked about like that. Never
mind--there goes Braddy in."

And so the practice went on, each candidate for the honour of a place in
the eleven submitting to the ordeal, and being applauded or despised
according as he acquitted himself. Wraysford, of course, came out of
the trial well, as he always did.

"I declare, the Fifth could lick the Sixth t