Blackburn's took the field at three punctually on the followingafternoon, to play out the last act of the final house-match. Theywere not without some small hope of victory, for curious things happenat cricket, especially in the fourth innings of a match. And runs areadmitted to be easier saved than made. Yet seventy-nine seemed anabsurdly small score to try and dismiss a team for, and in view of thefact that that team contained a batsman like Fenn, it seemed smallerstill. But Jimmy Silver, resolutely as he had declared victoryimpossible to his intimate friends, was not the man to depress histeam by letting it become generally known that he consideredBlackburn's chances small.

　　"You must work like niggers in the field," he said; "don't give away arun. Seventy-nine isn't much to make, but if we get Fenn out for afew, they won't come near it."He did not add that in his opinion Fenn would take very good care thathe did not get out for a few. It was far more likely that he wouldmake that seventy-nine off his own bat in a dozen overs.

　　"You'd better begin, Kennedy," he continued, "from the top end. Placeyour men where you want 'em. I should have an extra man in the deep,if I were you. That's where Fenn kept putting them last innings. Andyou'll want a short leg, only for goodness sake keep them off theleg-side if you can. It's a safe four to Fenn every time if you don't.

　　Look out, you chaps. Man in."Kay's first pair were coming down the pavilion steps.

　　Challis, goingto his place at short slip, called Silver's attention to a remarkablefact.

　　"Hullo," he said, "why isn't Fenn coming in first?""What! By Jove, nor he is. That's queer. All the better for us. Youmight get a bit finer, Challis, in case they snick 'em."Wayburn, who had accompanied Fenn to the wicket at the beginning ofKay's first innings, had now for his partner one Walton, a large,unpleasant-looking youth, said to be a bit of a bruiser, and known tobe a black sheep. He was one of those who made life at Kay's so closean imitation of an Inferno. His cricket was of a rustic order. He hithard and high. When allowed to do so, he hit often. But, as a rule, heleft early, a prey to the slips or deep fields. Today was no exceptionto that rule.

　　Kennedy's first ball was straight and medium-paced. It was a littletoo short, however, and Walton, letting go at it with a semi-circularsweep like the drive of a golfer, sent it soaring over mid-on's headand over the boundary. Cheers from the pavilion.

　　Kennedy bowled his second ball with the same purposeful air, andWalton swept at it as before. There was a click, and Jimmy Silver, whowas keeping wicket, took the ball comfortably on a level with hischin.

　　"How's that?"The umpire's hand went up, and Walton went out--reluctantly, murmuringlegends of how he had not gone within a yard of the thing.