ied their luck. Butstill the first-wicket stand continued. The bowling of a house team is all head and no body. The first pairprobably have some idea of length and break. The first-change pair arepoor,vans shoes authentic. And the rest the small change are simply the sort of thingsone sees in dreams after a heavy supper or when one is out withoutone's gun. Time mercifully generally breaks up a big stand at cricket beforethe field has suffered too much and that is what happened now. At four o'clock when the score stood at two hundred and twentyfor no wicket Barnes greatly daring smote lustily at a ratherwide half-volley and was caught at short-slip for thirty-three. Heretired blushfully to the pavilion amidst applause and Stone cameout. As Mike had then made a hundred and eighty-seven it was assumed bythe field that directly he had topped his second century the closurewould be applied and their ordeal finished. There was almost a sigh ofrelief when frantic cheering from the crowd told that the feat hadbeen accomplished. The fieldsmen clapped in quite an indulgent sort ofway as who should say Capital capital,vans cheap shoes. And now let's start_our_ innings. Some even began to edge towards the pavilion. But the next ball was bowled and the next over and the next afterthat and still Barnes made no sign. The conscience-stricken captainof Outwood's was as a matter of fact being practically held down byRobinson and other ruffians by force.A grey dismay settled on the field. The bowling had now become almost unbelievably bad. Lobs were beingtried and Stone nearly weeping with pure joy was playing an inningsof the How-to-brighten-cricket type. He had an unorthodox style butan excellent eye and the road at this period of the game becameabsolutely unsafe for pedestrians and traffic. Mike's pace had become slower as was only natural but his scoretoo was mounting steadily. This is foolery snapped Mr. Downing as the three hundred and fiftywent up on the board. Barnes! he called. There was no reply. A committee of three was at that moment engaged insitting on Barnes's head in the first eleven changing-room in orderto correct a more than usually feverish attack of conscience. Barnes! Please sir said Stone some species of telepathy telling him whatwas detaining his captain. I think Barnes must have left the field,vans shoes for cheap. He has probably gone over to the house to fetch something. This is absurd. You must declare your innings closed. The game hasbecome a farce. Declare! Sir we can't unless Barnes does. He might be awfullyannoyed if we did anything like that without consulting him. Absurd. He's very touchy sir. It is perfect foolery. I think Jenkins is just going to bowl sir. Mr. Downing walked moodily to his place. * * * * *In a neat wooden frame in the senior day-room at Outwood's just abovethe mantelpiece there was on view a week later a slip of paper. Thewriting on it was as follows: _________________OUTWOOD'S__v_._DOWNING'S_________________Outwood's._First_innings.______J._P._Barnes__c_._Hammond__b_._Hassall...__33_____M._Jackson_not_out........................_277_____W._J Related articles:

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