alf, and caught this ball
exactly right, and sent it whizzing for five.

But the very force of the stroke was fatal to him; the ball went at
first bound right into Compton's hands, who instantly flung it back,
like a catapult, at Wright's wicket.

Wright, having hit for five, and being unable to see what had become of
the ball, started to run, as a matter of course.

But the other batsman, seeing the ball go right into long-leg's hands
like a bullet, cried, "Back!"

Wright turned, and would have got back to his wicket if the ball had
required handling by the wicket-keeper; but, by a mixture of skill with
luck, it came right at the wicket. Seeing which, the wicket-keeper very
judiciously let it alone, and it carried off the bails just half a
second before Mr. Wright grounded his bat.

"How's that, umpire?" cried the wicket-keeper.

"Out!" said the Staveleigh umpire, who judged at that end.

Up went the ball into the air, amid great excitement of the natives.

Ruperta, carried away by the general enthusiasm, nodded all sparkling
to Compton, and that made his heart beat and his soul aspire. So next
over he claimed his rights, and took the ball. Luck still befriended
him: he bowled four wickets in twelve overs; the wicket-keeper stumped
a fifth: the rest were "the tail," and disposed of for a few runs, and
the total was no more than Huntercombe's first innings.

Our hero then took the bat, and made forty-seven runs before he was
disposed of, five wickets down for a hundred and ten runs. The match
was not won yet, nor sure to be; but the situation was reversed.

On going out, he was loudly applauded; and Ruperta naturally felt proud
of her admirer.

Being now free, he came to her irresolutely with some iced champagne.

Ruperta declined, with thanks; but he looked so imploringly that she
sipped a little, and said, warmly, "I hope we shall win: and, if we do,
I know whom we shall have to thank."

"And so do I: you, Miss Bassett."

"Me? Why, what have _I_ done in the matter?"

"You brought us luck, for one thing. You put us on our mettle.
Staveleigh shall never beat _me,_ with you looking on."

Ruperta blushed a little, for the boy's eyes beamed with fire.

"If I believed that," said she, "I should hire myself out at the next
match, and charge twelve pairs of gloves."

"You may believe it, then; ask anybody whether our luck did not change
the moment you came."

"Then I am afraid it will go now, for I am g