kets. So there was half an hour left to
play, two wickets in hand, and thirty runs to get.

The ninth man failed at a quarter past seven, leaving the score at
225. It rested, then, with Radley and the last man to make 25 in
fifteen minutes and a bad light.

The schoolboy crowd was suffering; and, when Radley smote Honion for
a six, the suffering became agony. Some drastic step must be taken.

Suddenly a shrill-voiced boy sang out:

"Put Ray on. Give Ray a chance."

The crowd took it up and roared out its instructions to put Ray on.
Bad form, I grant you, but then they scarcely knew what they were
doing, for they were in an ecstasy of suspense and excitement. The
cry became formidable. "Put Ray on." My face felt as if it had been
scorched at the fire. One boy roared out: "Hoo-_Ray_, hoo-_Ray_,
hoo-blooming-_Ray_!"

The crowd laughed, and, while many inquired of one another: "What
did he say? Do tell me," the majority adopted the cry as a slogan.

"Hoo-_Ray_, hoo-_Ray_, hoo-blooming-_Ray_!"

Our captain deferred to the voice of public opinion.

"Take next over this end, Ray," he said.

The permission was belated enough. When amid terrific applause I
faced Radley, there were only fourteen runs to be made and ten
minutes to play.

But, then, I had only one wicket to take. The pulsations of my heart
were rapid--but dull, deliberate, and heavy as a strong man's fist.
I felt as though I had not eaten anything for weeks, nor was ever
likely to eat again. Honion shook his head; he saw that I was
trembling. Radley smiled encouragingly. White said: "For God's sake,
Ray, pull it off." And I murmured: "Right. I'll try." I was
surprised at the way my voice shook.

I took a quiet run (though my feet sounded noisily on the turf,
owing to the breathless silence) and bowled.

"Wide!"

The crowd laughed, but it was the laugh of despair. My second ball
Radley hit for four. My third followed it to the boundary.

"This'll be Ray's last over," said the witty critics. It was. There
were only five more runs to be made. The ladies, preparing for
departure, drew on their gloves. Sedate gentlemen, who had removed
top-hats from perspiring brows, brushed the silk with their sleeves.
Within a few minutes the innings victory would be won or lost.

Despair cured me of nerves. I bowled my fourth ball without any
excitement. Radley fumbled and missed it. He smiled grimly, twisted
his bat round, adjusted the handle, and resumed his po