A Prefect's Uncle

re is nothing of Black Monday about the first day of term at a publ

The nets were put up for the first time, and the School professional emerged at last from his winter retirement with his, 'Coom _right_ out to 'em, sir, right forward', which had helped so many Beckfor

f the team this year, a sound, stylish bat, with a stroke after the manner of Tyldesley between cover and mid-off, which used to make Miles the professional almost weep with joy. But today he

Norris,' sho

a bit today.

ished to, and there was always something in every ball he bowled which made it necessary for the batsman to watch it all the way. In matches against other schools it was generally Gosling who took the wickets. The batsm

d Pringle of the School House--who formed the foundation of this year's Eleven. He was not an ornamental bat, but stood quite alone in the matter of tall hitting. Twenty minutes of Marriott when in form would often completely alter the course of a match. He had been given his colours in the previous year for making exactly a hundred in sixty-one minu

ion. He had run Wilson to earth, and was engaged in mak

n?' he asked.

nfirmed t

that convey any signific

knows somebody wh

a tru

ok after me. I know you wo

g after you'll require. It won't be much, from all I'v

n gri

row with a chap calle

hink,' said Marriott.

ss of himself,' s

ott n

I've got you for a fag this term. You don't have to do much in the summer. Just rot around, you know, and go

n gratefully. The p

my cricket boots occasionally before First mat

ink so. I n

on't steer any worse than I row, so let's go and get a boat out, an

He went to where Norris was taking off his pads, and began to talk to him. Norris was the head of Jephson's House, and he and the Bishop were very good friends, in a casual sort of way. If they did not see one an

Norris, as Gethryn sat down beside him, and began

think half those that got you would have take

, 'I believe I'm going to be a rank failure

can you possibly tell after

sponsible for every match lost. It was all right last year when John Brown was cap

e ever felt as if I really was going to make that cent

to his Blue when he goes up to the V

eful on his wicket. Je

ked after the

e ought to do some big things if we get any rain. Hullo, Pri

I forgot. I can't. I've got to go down

or? Why didn't he wait till

how, I shall have to go and meet him, and I shal

re! Sammy, do yo

said, was a drink, or possibly two drinks, and a jolly good rest in the shade somewhere. Gosling was one of those rar

leven man, Baker, a member of his own House, in Pringle's place.

and then branched off in the direction of Leicester's. To change into everyday costume took him a quarter of an h

he College. Gethryn, who was rather tired after his exertions at the nets, took it v

of the solitary porter who ministered to t

a sort of inspired frenzy: ''Orton! 'Orton stertion! 'Ort

e train panted in, pulled up, whistled, and puffed out again, leaving three people behind it. One of these was a woman of sixty (approximately), the second a small girl of ten, the third a young gentleman in a top hat and Etons, who carried a

was not sure, but would ask the porter, whose name it appeared was Johnny. Johnny gave the correct

p. 'Dash the man, he mig

ng to show at the end of it, and was just turning to leave the station, when the top-hatted small boy, who had be

The Bishop stared at him as a natural

he said

r name

Bishop, was beginning to

s did you know

were going to be here to meet this train. Glad to make you

gurgled t

; c-l-e--kul. Uncle.