was a genuine
well-played hit, which deserved the applause it got. The next ball came
straight for the middle stump, but was blocked back half-way between the
creases, and another run was stolen.

"Over!"

The new bowler went in for slows. The first, a very tempting ball,
Saurin played forward at, and hit it straight and hard into the hands of
long field on, who fumbled and dropped it, amidst groans and derisive
cheers.

Warned by this narrow shave he played back next time, and seemed to
himself to have missed a really good chance. This feeling induced
hesitation when the next ball was delivered, and the result of
hesitation was that the insidious missile curled in somehow over his bat
and toppled his bails off. Saurin was so much mortified as he walked
back to the tent that he could not even pretend to assume a jaunty
careless air, but scowled and carried his bat as if he would like to hit
someone over the head with it. Which, indeed, he would.

There was one consolation for him, he had made ten, and that proved to
be the top score.

For the first time within living memory Weston had to follow its
innings!

Now when you consider that the presidents of Oxford and Cambridge Clubs
kept an eye on this match with a view to promising colts, you may
imagine the elation of the Hillsburians and the dejection of the
Westonians when Crawley and Robarts walked once more to the wickets.
Their schoolmates clapped their hands vigorously indeed, and some of
them talked about the uncertainty of cricket, but the amount of hope
they had would not have taken the room of a pair of socks in Pandora's
box.

But Crawley was a bowler as well as a batsman, and Robarts was the
Westonian wicket-keeper, so that both were somewhat fagged when they
first went in, whereas they were now quite fresh. Again, the
Hillsburian bowling champion found his dangerous left arm a little
stiff, and his eyesight not so keen as it had been an hour before. One
is bound to find a cause for everything, so these may be the reasons why
the pair, after defending their wickets cautiously for an over or two,
began to knock the bowling about in great style.

"What a jealous brute that Crawley is!" said Saurin, sitting down by
Edwards.

"Awful!" replied Edwards, not at all knowing why, but following Saurin
blindfold, as he always did.

"I was the only one who made any stand in the first innings, and yet he
does not send me in early. He will keep me to