at there was a chance that it would fall within
the ropes. The batsmen had run three runs and it was still in the air.
Then it was seen that an English fielder was standing on the very edge of
the field with his back on the ropes, a white figure against the black
line of the people. He stood watching the mighty curve of the ball, and
twice he raised his hands together above his head as he did so. Then a
third time he raised his hands above his head, and the ball was in them
and Bonner was out."

"Why did he raise his hands twice?"

"I don't know. He did so."

"And who was the fielder, Daddy?"

"The fielder was G. F. Grace, the younger brother of W. G. Only a few
months afterwards he was a dead man. But he had one grand moment in his
life, with twenty thousand people all just mad with excitement. Poor G.
F.! He died too soon."

"Did you ever catch a catch like that, Daddy?"

"No, boy. I was never a particularly good fielder."

"Did you never catch a good catch?"

"Well, I won't say that. You see, the best catches are very often
flukes, and I remember one awful fluke of that sort."

"Do tell us, Daddy?"

"Well, dear, I was fielding at slip. That is very near the wicket, you
know. Woodcock was bowling, and he had the name of being the fastest
bowler of England at that time. It was just the beginning of the match
and the ball was quite red. Suddenly I saw something like a red flash
and there was the ball stuck in my left hand. I had not time to move it.
It simply came and stuck."

"Oo!"

"I saw another catch like that. It was done by Ulyett, a fine Yorkshire
player--such a big, upstanding fellow. He was bowling, and the
batsman--it was an Australian in a test match--hit as hard as ever he
could. Ulyett could not have seen it, but he just stuck out his hand and
there was the ball."

"Suppose it had hit his body?"

"Well, it would have hurt him."

"Would he have cried?" from Dimples.

"No, boy. That is what games are for, to teach you to take a knock and
never show it. Supposing that--"

A step was heard coming along the passage.

"Good gracious, boys, here's Mumty. Shut your eyes this moment. It's
all right, dear. I spoke to them very severely and I think they are
nearly asleep."

"What have you been talking about?" asked the Lady.

"Cwicket!" cried Dimples.

"It's natural enough," said Daddy; "of course when two boys--"

"Three," said the Lady, as she tucked up the little