d to be an opinion that Jack would either show himself
at once unequal to the occasion, and immediately be put out,--which
opinion I think that all Gladstonopolis was inclined to hold,--or
else that he would get his "eye in" as he called it, and go on as
long as the three others could keep their bats. I know that his own
opinion was the same as that general in the city, and I feared that
his very caution at the outset would be detrimental to him. The great
object on our side was that Jack should, as nearly as possible, be
always opposite to the bowler. He was to take the four first balls,
making but one run off the last, and then beginning another over at
the opposite end do the same thing again. It was impossible to manage
this exactly; but something might be done towards effecting it.
There were the three men with whom to work during the day. The first
unfortunately was soon made to retire; but Jack, who had walked up to
my chair during the time allowed for fetching down the next man, told
me that he had "got his eye," and I could see a settled look of fixed
purpose in his face. He bowed most gracefully to Eva, who was so
stirred by emotion that she could not allow herself to speak a word.
"Oh Jack, I pray for you; I pray for you," said his mother. Jack, I
fancy, thought more of Eva's silence than of his mother's prayer.

Jack went back to his place, and hit the first ball with such energy
that he drove it into the other stumps and smashed them to pieces.
Everybody declared that such a thing had never been before achieved
at cricket,--and the ball passed on, and eight or ten runs were
scored. After that Jack seemed to be mad with cricketing power. He
took off his greaves, declaring that they impeded his running, and
threw away altogether his helmet. "Oh, Eva, is he not handsome?"
said his mother, in ecstasy, hanging across my chair. Eva sat quiet
without a sign. It did not become me to say a word, but I did think
that he was very handsome;--and I thought also how uncommonly hard
it would be to hold him if he should chance to win the game. Let
him make what orations he might against the Fixed Period, all
Gladstonopolis would follow him if he won this game of cricket for
them.

I cannot pretend to describe all the scenes of that day, nor the
growing anxiety of the Englishmen as Jack went on with one hundred
after another. He had already scored nearly 1000 when young Grabbe
was caught out. Young Grabbe was very popular