he ball, and hit it so fairly, and
with such good force, that he sent it flying away to a considerable
distance.

"Capital!" cried Ernest, clapping his hands at the success of his pupil.
"Run! run!--two bases at least."

Ellis did the distance with ease, and Ernest sprang into the home.

"Now look out, old fellow, to run right in, or, at all events, to the
fourth base," he sang out to Ellis, whose spirits rose at his success;
and he looked as eager as any one, and ready for anything. Tom tossed
the ball to Ernest in a way somewhat difficult to hit, and when he
struck it, he was nearly caught out. He, however, ran over a couple of
bases, and Ellis stopped short at the fourth. This brought in a new
player at the home. He sent the ball but a short way, and Ellis was
very nearly struck out. The ball grazed him, but he was well in the
home. Had he been struck out, he very likely would never have played
well again. Tom now fed him. He hit the ball, and with all his might,
and sent it as far as Ernest or Bouldon had ever done.

"Capital! well done, Ellis!" shouted many of the fellows, both players
and lookers-on; and away he ran, and performed a whole circle.

Ernest determined to play his best, so as to keep Ellis in as long as
possible. He was sure, from what he saw, that his success would give
him encouragement, not only to play other games, but to mix more
sociably with his schoolfellows. Ernest played capitally, but Ellis
scored almost as many, to the surprise of those who fancied that he
could not play at all. Few would have believed that he was the same
awkward, shy boy, who was usually creeping about the play-ground, as
they saw him, with a high colour and full of animation, hitting ball
after ball with all his might, and cutting away round the bases. At
last, one of their side was caught out, and Buttar went in. He was a
good player, and added considerably to the numbers scored by his side.
Still, as both Dawson and Bouldon were capital players, and so were most
of their side, Ernest did his utmost to get as many runs as possible, at
the same time that he wanted to make Ellis feel that he had himself
contributed largely to the victory. Every time Ellis made a good hit,
he praised him loudly, and certainly felt more pleasure than if he had
done well himself. Poor Ellis had never been so happy since he was a
child. He began to feel that, after all, he need not fancy himself less
capable than his com