k, whom I
had strangely missed from his position at long-stop since I commenced to
bowl the over, stepped out from beneath the shadow of the trees, where
he had concealed himself in the meantime, and amidst the ringing
plaudits, not only of our lot but of the spectators as well--who turned
round in our favour at the first breath of success--caught the ball with
the utmost _sangfroid_, sending it a moment afterwards spinning in the
air triumphantly, in the true cricketonian manner, as an acknowledgment
of the feat and accompanying cheers.

It wasn't much to brag of, getting out the long-limbed one, as it was
only one wicket for one hundred and seventeen runs; but when the second
man went shortly after without increasing the score, our hopes began to
rise. They were hopes based on sand, however. The two newcomers began
making runs just like their predecessors, and completely mastered the
bowling.

Every member of the club had now been tried with the ball, besides the
three visitors, who certainly bowled fairly well, but nothing
hysterically brilliant. Even Charley Bates had a turn, although I don't
believe he had ever hit the wicket in his life; and on his surrendering
the ball, after presenting our opponents with three wides and any number
of byes, our captain was at his wits' end. He didn't know who he could
set on to bowl.

"Try young Black," suggested Hardy at this juncture, when we were having
a short interval of rest from our exhilarating game of leather-hunting,
which had now been going on for two hours and more.

"Young Black, indeed!" repeated Charley Bates with intense scorn.

"Well," said Prester John, "he can't possibly do worse than you."

And the remark was so painfully true that even Charley could not but see
the point of it, and he said no more.

On being called, Jemmy Black came up with a broad grin on his face,
which looked exactly like one of those public-house signs you sometimes
see in country villages, of "The Rising Sun," or "The Sun in Splendour."
He was otherwise a dapper little fellow, although scarcely five feet in
height, and strongly built, his legs and arms being very muscular.

He endeavoured to receive with proper gravity and dignity the ball from
Sidney, who gave him a few words of appropriate advice, but he failed
utterly in the attempt. That grin would not leave his face: it was as
much a part of his physiognomy as his nose, I believe!

Little chap as he was, however, his