ed the
ball in with all his force. A howl of untuneful applause rose from under
the trees. The ball not only happened to be straight, but was also a
yorker. Whitaker's middle stump fell flat.

There are times when a panic seizes the very best side, and for the next
hour and a half the House had the pleasant experience of watching an
unusually strong Buller side rabbit out before a very moderate attack.
Buller's side contained four First and two Second Eleven colours, to say
nothing of three Colts caps. And yet by six o'clock the whole team was
dismissed for eighty-three. There was nothing to account for the rot.
Foster and Bradford bowled unchanged. Bradford took six of the wickets,
four clean bowled. It was incomprehensible.

"I can't understand it," said Gordon at tea. "Bradford was bowling the
most utter drivel half the time, I would have given anything to have
been batting. And you were not bowling at your best, you know, Foster."

"I am well aware of that; but, heavens! it was sheer joy. Look at old
Collins, down there, beaming at the thought of not having to field
to-morrow."

"It's all right," mumbled Collins from a huge cup of tea.

"By Jove! wouldn't it be gorgeous if we could win this match, and finish
up by beating the Buller crowd at their own game?" said Gordon. "Damn it
all, I don't see why we shouldn't. What we have done once we can do
again. They are a better side, I know, but we'll have a damned good shot
at winning."

Of course Buller's laughed at the whole thing.

"It's really rather funny," they said. "But, of course, we are in
absolutely no danger of losing. We couldn't wreck like that again; and,
what's more, we shouldn't let an ass like Bray make so many runs again.
We are quite safe!"

The School House kept quiet. They were not going to shout their hopes
all over the school. It would look so bad if they got thoroughly beaten
in the end. But in the studies and dormitories that night there was only
one thought in all those minds--that victory was possible.

The next day it rained the whole time. The courts were flooded with
water, the branches dripped with a tired languor. Gordon polished off
two exams with masterly speed, and returned to his study.

Saturday morning broke grey and wet. It rained spasmodically till
mid-day, and then cleared up. With a sigh of relief Gordon walked up the
big schoolroom to show up the last piece of work that he would do at
Fernhurst. For a last compositio