ose that on some previous
occasion His Royal Highness had patronized the stall. The ice-cream
was shovelled out of a tin receptacle, and pasted in lumps on to the top
of very shallow glasses, the standard price for which was one penny; and
there being a scarcity of spoons, the customers usually devoured the
delicacy in the same manner as a dog does a saucer of milk. Cynical
members of the upper classes at Ronleigh, who had ceased to patronize
the stall, charged Punch with not being over-particular in washing the
glasses, and of making the "stuff," as they called it, with cornflour
instead of cream. But the small boys were not fastidious; and as each
one had two helpings, which they ate as slowly as possible to prolong
the enjoyment, they were still refreshing themselves when the home team
moved out to field.

"Look sharp!" cried "Rats," giving Bibbs's elbow a sudden jerk which
caused that worthy to plaster the end of his nose with the remains of
his third ice. "Come on! let's see the beginning."

The second half of the game proved, if anything, more exciting than the
first. Two wickets fell before 10 appeared on the telegraph.

"Oh, we shall lick them easily!" cried "Rats" jubilantly; while Fletcher
junior gave vent to his feelings by handing Bibbs's bag of sweets round
to the company.

But there were still some hard nuts to be cracked in the Wraxby team,
and one soon appeared in Partridge, the captain. Over after over went
by, and the score rapidly increased: "Thirty up!"--"Forty up!"--"Fifty
up!" Two more wickets were taken; but Partridge seemed to have fairly
got his eye in, and gave the home team as much leather-hunting as Oaks
had provided for the visitors. To make matters worse, Austin, arriving
on the scene sixth man in, appeared to be also possessed with a
determination to carry his bat; and though he was eventually run out
by a sharp throw-in from square-leg, it was not until eighty runs had
been registered for the Grammar School.

The closing scene of the game caused an amount of excitement
unparalleled in the history of Ronleigh cricket.

As the last man of the Wraxby team went in to bat, the telegraph was
changed from 90 to 100. "Over" had just been called, and the invincible
Partridge stepped forward to play, evidently making up his mind for
another boundary hit. Thurston had been put on to bowl at the top end,
and stood ready to recommence the attack.

"Four to equal, five to beat," sighe