e and be wicket-keeper, for, unless Jim has improved wonderfully
since I went away, most of his balls will be fearful wides.--Helen, you
go over there, and mind to throw the balls up sharp."

"Then you are going in first," said Helen, "and we are not going to
toss?"

But Hal was busy measuring out the distance at which Jim was to stand,
and did not hear her question. Or if he did, he evidently did not
consider it worthy of an answer.

"Now then," Hal said, coming back; "I am ready. I am not going to make
any runs, you know, as it is too hot; but you others must send the ball
up promptly, or else it makes it slow work for me."

Jim's bowling was not very difficult to deal with, and Hal knocked the
balls about pretty much as he pleased, and gave the fielders, and
especially Helen, plenty of running about.

"Well, at this rate," Drusie said merrily, as she cleverly stopped a
ball that was a very bad "wide" indeed, "we shall never get you out."

"No, I don't suppose you will," said Hal; and then he added
ungratefully, "That is the worst of playing with a set of girls; one
never gets any practice."

Whether Jim was annoyed at being classed as a girl, and was therefore
put on his mettle, cannot be said for certain, but at any rate his very
next ball hit the tree fair and square, and with so much violence that
a piece of the rough elm bark was knocked off.

"Hurrah!" shouted Drusie, clapping her hands; "bowled at last. Who
goes in next?"

"Don't be in such a mighty hurry," said Hal, who was looking distinctly
angry. "I am not out--not a bit of it. Why, that ball was not
anything like in the middle of the tree. Who ever heard of a wicket a
yard and a quarter wide? You'll have to bowl better than that, Jim, to
get me out."

"All right," Jim said, recovering himself. He had looked rather blank
for a moment when Hal declared so emphatically that he was not out. "I
suppose that ball was rather to one side of the tree. I will have
another try."

But Helen was not so easily satisfied.

"You said, Hal, that the tree was to be the wicket; you never said
anything about only counting the middle of the tree."

"Did I say so?" he replied. "Well, I made a mistake. Of course, it
would be rather absurd to count the whole tree. I tell you what I will
do. I will hang my cap on this little twig here, and if the ball hits
that I am out. Now, are you satisfied?"

They all, with the exception of Helen, hastened to s