with delight, and their voices were fresh, for
they had had little opportunity of exercising them hitherto. Crawley,
the captain of their eleven, the hero in whom they delighted, had been
declared out, leg before wicket, when he had only contributed five to
the score. Only two of the Westonians believed that the decision was
just, Crawley himself, and the youth who had taken his place, and was
now so triumphant. But he hated Crawley, and rejoiced in his
discomfiture, even though it told against his own side, so his opinion
went for nothing.

Well, no more did anybody's else except the umpire's, who after all is
the only person capable of judging.

"Saurin has got his eye in; we may put together a respectable score
yet."

"He is the best player we have got, when he only takes the trouble;
don't you think so?" said Edwards, who believed in Saurin with a faith
which would have been quite touching if it had not been so irritating.

"He thinks so himself at any rate," replied the boy addressed, "and we
are a shocking bad lot if he is right. Anyhow he seems to be in form
to-day, and I only hope that it will last."

The batsman under discussion hoped so too. If he could only make an
unprecedented score, restore the fortunes of the day, and show the world
what a mistake it was to think Crawley his superior in anything
whatever, it would be a glorious triumph. He was not of a patriotic
disposition, and did not care for the success of his school except as it
might minister to his own personal vanity and gain, for he had a bet of
half-a-crown on his own side. But his egotism was quite strong enough
to rival the public spirit of the others, and raise his interest to the
general pitch.

The match between Weston and Hillsborough was an annual affair, and
excited great emulation, being for each school the principal event of
the cricketing season. One year it was played at Weston and the next at
Hillsborough, and it was the Westonians' turn to play on their own
ground on this occasion.

Hillsborough went in first and put together 94 runs. Then Weston went
to the wickets and could make nothing of it. There was a certain left-
handed Hillsburian bowler who proved very fatal to them; it was one of
his twists which found Crawley's leg where his bat should have been.
Result, eight wickets down for twenty, and then Saurin went in and made
the 9 we have witnessed.

Between ourselves the cut was a fluke, but the half-volley