s
hardly fair; but he invariably cut straight balls and pulled good length
balls on the off stump to the on boundary. This evening, at any rate, he
was in luck. With terrific violence he smote the Radley bowling all
round the field. Some shots went along the ground, more fell just out of
reach of a fielder. It was invigorating but hardly classic cricket.
Still, whatever it was, it produced seventy-two runs, while Lovelace had
scored three. After he left Lovelace became still more cautious. A man
from Christy's was in at the other end, who had been instructed to keep
up his end for an hour. As a matter of fact, they scored exactly two
runs between them in about half-an-hour. That two was from a drive from
Lovelace past cover.

At such daring Lovelace became much elated.

"Come on, I say, come on. Lots of runs here. Come on."

The Radley men were very amused. Lovelace took nothing seriously. It was
as well that "the Bull" was absent. Once, just as the bowler was rushing
up to bowl, Lovelace flung out his hand and said: "Stop! Move the screen
please; your hand is just behind a tree!"

With great difficulty the screens were moved.

Once he patted the ball a little way down the pitch, and shouted to the
batsman at the other end, with hand extended: "Stay!"

There was some subdued laughter.

Lovelace turned round to the wicket-keeper and said: "Strange as it may
seem, I am the worst member of this rotten side, and I am playing for my
place. This is the way to keep your place at Fernhurst."

The final achievement was a successful appeal against the light.

The next day it rained in torrents.

"Jolly rotten luck," said Lovelace, "and I was certain for a bat for
making my fifty, too."

"Do you think so?" said Tester. "You know, they don't play to a finish
in England. You are thinking of Australian rules."

Commemoration came and went, with its tea-parties, parasols, calf-bound
books, sermons and cricket match. The term drew to its close.

"This is the best term I have ever had," said Gordon. "By Jove, we have
had some good days."

Yet, of all things, that which remained clearest in his memory was one
day early in the term, when he and Lovelace were recovering from
chicken-pox. The school had gone for a field day to Salisbury, and they
were left behind with Archie Fletcher, who had been ragging Jenks, and
had been kept back for punishment, and a quantity of small fry. No work
was done. In the morning they all had