238 WHISPERS FROM FAIRYLAND. [v.

declare it wasn’t out.’ ‘That old muff Watkins, he isn’t
fit to be umpire,’ and a score more of similar remarks
greeted the boy, and were scarcely calculated to make
him alter his opinion on the matter. He watehed the
game, however, with great interest, in the hope that
the fortunes of the day were not yet irretrievably lost.
Young Smith of the Mill had followed him, and
scoring two from the first ball of the Prye bowler, had
raised the hopes of his side, which, however, fell again
as the next ball lowered his wicket. Seventeen to ‘tie,’
eighteen to ‘win, and all depended upon Jones and
Mopson, the last two of the Northwell players. Jones
hits a full pitch for four amid loud cheering from the
Northwellites. Little Mopson tips a ball in among
the ‘stips’ which they cleverly let pass,:and two more
runs are obtained, then a wide is bowled, and the
score shows ten to ‘tie’—eleven to win. All. is
anxiety as the play continues. Jones gives a ‘chance’
to cover ‘ point’ which is not taken, and two runs are
the result; the next ball is ‘blocked’ steadily, and the
third flies away to leg for two more runs. Six to tie
and seven to win, when. the ‘long-stop’ misses the
ball, and little Mopson calls Jones to run. They do
run and get a bye, when, as ill-luck will have it, they
fancy they can run a second, and the long-stop, with
a shot from afar, sends Jones’ stumps flying while he
isa full yard off from home, and victory rests with the
Prye eleven by five runs! Only by five runs! If Harry
had not been given ‘out’ in that manner, in all
probability the result would have been different. So
felt the Northwell eleven and their friends, and so
felt Harry himself, and he could not avoid a sensation |

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