left with only eighty to make.

The score stood at fifty for two when Rayner, who was, of course,
captain when he played for the house, put on Martin to bowl.
Spectators were moving to the tuck-shop to drown grief or express
elation. Martin knew that it was all over and sent down, by way of a
change, a fast, straight ball. Randall's captain was expecting
something very different, mistimed it, and was bowled: his successor
scraped nervously at a leg-break and was caught at the wicket. The
next man survived three balls: the last delivery of the over was
monstrous. It was pitched very short and went slowly away to leg: the
batsman hit under it and was taken far out. A gift indeed. The score
was now fifty for five wickets and the tuck-shop began to empty again.

Randall's were not the sort of people one suspected of having nerves.
But to lose three wickets in one over of the last innings is startling,
and Randall's were rattled, despite their stodginess. Martin's second
over was weak in direction and pitiable in length, but he might have
been Barnes for the respect he received. It was another maiden.
Martin knew well enough that if one batsman had the sense to go for his
bowling and treat it according to its merits the match was finished.
He took another wicket with a slow leg-break and then a brawny youth
named Coxwell came in. He had been warned by his frantic housemaster
'to lash at 'em.' He did so and scored three fours in succession.

During Martin's next over Coxwell was at his end. He saw now that the
secret was discovered and that Randall's would knock off their runs
with impunity: he could imagine the gloating joy of Randall's, all the
greater because victory had been in doubt: Berney's would be in the
position of the mouse set free and recaptured. In his anger Martin
bowled an amazing ball. He had really meant to send up a "googly," but
it pitched half-way to the wicket and scarcely left the ground. The
batsman drove it back and Martin, stooping quickly, just touched it
with his left hand: the ball crashed into the wickets. Coxwell, who
was backing-up, was a yard outside the crease. The batsman who might
have won the match had been run out by a gross fluke. "The stars in
their courses," said Martin to Rayner, as they waited for the next man.
The score was sixty-five for seven.

Martin took all three remaining wickets, or rather the batsmen handed
him their lives. They came in half dead with f