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Updated: May 18, 2025
"Come in," said Mr Parrett, who was still in his flannels, and had not quite done tea. "Oh, you are the boys that I met on the river this afternoon. All except one belonging to my house, I see." "Yes, sir," exclaimed Telson, who was the distinguished exception, "they're all Parretts except me, and it was all my fault, sir, and I'm " "No," interrupted Parson, "it was all my fault; I was steering."
In the presence of this common doom, schoolhouse, Parretts, and Welchers for the first time that term showed symptoms of a passing brotherhood. They stood rooted to the spot and speechless for at least two minutes after the ill-starred master had vanished, then Telson usually the first to recover his wits whistled drearily and low, "Whew! we will catch it!" "Think we'll be expelled?" said Cusack.
The river was pretty full, as usual at that time of day, and as one form which the wrath of the youthful Parretts took was to insult, and if opportunity arose, to run down the craft of either of the other houses, the discussion on the condition of Willoughby was relieved by more than one lively incident.
But the most remarkable thing about the innings was that, contrary to all calculation, the five schoolhouse fellows had contributed no less than sixty-four runs to the total, while the Parretts' united score only amounted to forty-one. The second innings of Rockshire differed very little from the first.
The taunts of the disappointed Parretts, which glanced harmless off minds like Fairbairn's and Porter's, wounded him to the quick, and, until the mystery should be solved, Riddell felt almost like a guilty party himself. He rather hoped the doctor did want to talk about this. It would be a relief to unburden his mind, at any rate.
With such advice to hold them in check, they went out as soberly as before to field, and devoted their whole energies to the task of disposing of their enemies' wickets for the fewest possible runs. And they succeeded quite as well as before. Indeed, the second innings of the Parretts was a feeble imitation of their first melancholy performance.
But then, Riddell remembered, Gilks, though a schoolhouse boy, had all along been a strong partisan of the Parretts' boat, and, ever since he had been turned out of his own boat, had made no secret of his hope that Parrett's might win. He had even, if rumours spoke truly, lost money on the race.
"Oh, beg pardon, old man. Pull away, you fellows! Parretts for ever! No Riddell for us! Three cheers for Bloomfield! You're gaining, you fellows. Oh, well pulled indeed our boat!"
It was at its hottest, and a general fight seemed imminent, when a diversion was caused by the sudden appearance of Parson running at full speed up the path from the river. There was something unusual in the looks and manner of the Parretts' coxswain, which even his misadventure that afternoon was not sufficient to account for.
As became loyal Parretts, the juniors pulled into the bank to let the four-oar pass, and, not content with this act of homage, they volunteered a round of vehement applause into the bargain. "Bravo! Well rowed, our house! Two to one on Parrett's! Three cheers for Bloomfield! Three cheers for the captain! Hooroo!"
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