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Updated: June 18, 2025
Riddell had just been forgetting his trouble and warming up to the game, and now they came once more to remind him of that hated knife and Tom the boat-boy's story. The next ball the Rockshire man also "slipped," but this time, though it was within easier reach, and for a first-rate fielder was even a possible catch, Riddell missed it, and two runs were made.
"Fielded, sir!" said Bloomfield, as the players crossed over; and this commendation was more encouraging than all the shouts of the schoolhouse partisans. Porter's next over disposed of the first Rockshire man, amid great school rejoicing, which was only tempered by the reflection among the Parretts that it was a wicket to the credit of the schoolhouse half of the eleven.
Then followed a succession of short but smart innings, during which the Rockshire score crawled up to seventy, despite of a further change of bowlers and very careful all-round fielding by the school. All this time the steady man hung on obstinately; nothing seemed to puzzle him or tempt him out of his caution.
As soon as silence was restored, Mr Porter wished to ask the captain of the eleven whether the team to play against Rockshire was yet settled. Mr Bloomfield. Not quite. Nine names are fixed Game, Tipper, Ashley, Wibberly, and myself from Parrett's house, and Fairbairn, Porter, Coates, and Crossfield from the schoolhouse. That's what everybody wants to know!
But his sigh was abruptly turned into a cheer when next moment the Rockshire man's wicket tumbled all of a heap, and one of the foe was out for three. Willoughby began to breathe again. When they had seen those two portentous heroes go in, the prospect of their ever going out had seemed fearfully remote.
Riddell could not help smiling at this artless outburst from the young candidate for cricket honours, and replied, "I like him too, for he came and watched our practice too, here at Welch's." "Did he bowl you any balls?" demanded Wyndham. "No, happily," said Riddell; "but some one told me he told somebody else that I might possibly squeeze into the eleven against Rockshire if I practised hard."
He had not seen Silk since the evening of the Rockshire match, when, as the reader will remember the meeting was anything but a pleasant one, and, but for the timely arrival of a third party, might have ended severely for the younger boy.
I only hope our fellows will do most of the scoring to-morrow, and not leave them a chance of saying they won the match for us." Bloomfield laughed. "Not much fear of that," said he; "but if they did, I suppose you'd sooner beat Rockshire with their help than be thrashed?" Game was not quite sure, and said nothing.
But they might have spared themselves their agitation, for Riddell had it all but a catch before the shiver was over, and had returned it to Fairbairn at the wickets promptly enough to make the Rockshire man feel he had had a narrow escape of a run-out.
It was not so much the Rockshire match that was preying on the brotherhood, grievous as that blow had been. Nor were they at the present suffering under any particular infliction, or smarting under any special sense of injustice. Their healths and digestions were all tolerably good, and the mutual friendship in which they had been wont to rejoice showed no signs of immediate dissolution.
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