ousing
Question.

Maybe, too, I have been very willing for the quarrel to proceed,
because he will persist in his collusion with that mystery-man,
Freedham.

Archibald Pennybet is the same as ever, unless, perhaps, his eyelids
are drooping a little more in satisfaction with himself, and his
nostrils becoming more sensitive to the inferiority of everybody
else.

In a rash moment, one half-holiday, Penny and I made use of the
privilege, to which we became entitled when we completed two years
at Kensingtowe, of strolling across to the Preparatory School
and organising a cricket match between some of the younger
"Sucker-boys." Not being allowed to go down to the town, we thought
there might be fun in playing the heavy autocrat at the "Nursery."

"We'll make these beastly little maggots sit up, unless they play
properly," said Penny. "There shall be no fooling when _we_ umpire."

The Suckers received us with gratifying awe. One of them in a moment
of forgetfulness called Pennybet "sir." He accepted it without
remark, as his due.

For half-an-hour we did well. Six balls went to every "over," no
more and no less. Our decisions, when we were appealed to, were
given promptly and decisively. But the boys were so small, and the
play was so bad, that the novelty soon wore off. Our feeling of
importance died away, when we realised we were umpiring in a match
where the stumps were kept in position by the bails, and there was
no one who could bowl a straight ball, or anyone who could hit it,
if he did. The wicket-keeper, also, gave Penny much trouble; and
sulked because he had been forbidden to stop the swift bowler's
deliveries by holding a coat in front of him and allowing the ball
to become entangled in its folds. My fellow-umpire had occasion to
speak very seriously to him. "Really," he said, "you're a stench in
my nostrils. Mr. Ray, who's kindly umpiring for you at the other
end, never gave me half the cheek you do, when _he_ was a kid." For
a second the little boy wondered if he had made a mistake and Penny
was really a master.

Having given eight balls to an over, I got bored and retired to my
position at square-leg, displeased with the condition on which our
privilege was granted that, having organised a game, we were to
remain at our posts to the end. Someone awoke Penny, who walked with
a yawn to the bowler's wicket, and, graciously putting into his
mouth a huge green fruit-ball, offered by one of the more minute