panions to enter into the usual sports of the
school. At last, Buttar was struck out, and so was another player, and
Ernest and Ellis alone were kept in. The latter could scarcely believe
his senses, when he found himself the only person to help Ernest to keep
up the game. Ernest was in the home; Ellis was on the base at the
opposite side. He knew that he must run hard, or he would put Ernest
out as well as himself.

"Now, Tom, two fair hits for the rounder," exclaimed Ernest.

The proposal was agreed to. Bouldon kept tossing the ball several
times, but Ernest refused to hit. At last he hit, but did not run, and
Ellis very nearly got out by attempting to do so. The next time he hit,
and hit hard indeed. Away flew the ball further than ever, to the very
end of the field.

"Now, Ellis, run! run!" he sang out.

Ellis moved his legs faster than he had ever before done, and shouted
and shrieked with delight when Ernest made the round in safety. Thus
the game continued. Ellis appeared to have a charmed existence as far
as the game was concerned. Nothing could put him out. More than once
his balls seemed to slip through the very fingers of those about to
catch them.

"I say, Bracebridge, are you going to be out or not, this evening?"
exclaimed Tom, getting positively tired of feeding.

"Not if Ellis and I can help it," was the answer. "We've taken a fancy
to have a long innings, do you see?"

So it seemed, in truth; and the tea-bell positively rang while they were
still in. By the custom of our school, a game of that minor description
was then considered over; and the two new friends went into the tea-room
together in a very triumphant state of mind.

"I told you, Ellis, you could do whatever you tried, just as well as
other fellows," said Ernest, as he sat by him at tea. "Now I must show
you how to play cricket, and hockey, and football, and fives, and all
sorts of games. To-morrow we'll have a little quiet practice at cricket
with single wicket, and I'll wager by the summer that you'll be able to
play in a match with any fellows of our size."

Ellis thanked Ernest most warmly. He felt a new spirit rising in him--
powers he had never dreamed of possessing coming out. He might yet
stand on equal terms with his companions at school and with his
fellow-men in the world.

"As I told you before, old fellow, what you want is a course of
drilling. Our old sergeant will set you up and make you look like