Only one innings was to be played by each side, and Dick started the bowling. The opening was sensational: his first ball scattered the batsman’s stumps, and in the same over another man was caught and bowled. Two wickets down and not a run scored! The Deanery boys were wild with delight. They flung their caps in the air, and began debating where it would be best to hang the shield. Their joy did not last long, however. Temple had gone in, and he was hitting the ball to all parts of the field without giving a chance. In vain Jim changed his bowlers and rearranged his field. Until he had made 69, the doughty batsman defied every attempt to dislodge him. Then, getting hold of a curly one from Dick, he sent it spinning high and hard to the boundary. The Magpies cheered and clapped their hands; but, as Dick afterwards remarked, they were "a little too previous." Jim was fielding "in the country," and he did not often miss a catch. He had hard work this time though; but he just managed it, and a welcome roar burst from the Deanery boys as he threw the ball into the air. "Well caught! well caught, Hartland!" they cried, for Temple was their most dangerous opponent, and now that he was gone they felt on better terms with themselves. Still the score gradually crept up, till, by the time the last man was out, the board showed the respectable total of 157. Susie had very hazy notions of cricket, and when Dick came over she wanted to know if the Deanery had won the shield. "Won!" echoed Dick, opening his eyes wide. "Why, the match isn’t over. We have to go in yet. There’s Jim just walking to the wicket. Did you see that lovely catch he made? Mr. Barrow, a regular cricketing swell—plays for the county, you know—said it was as neat a bit of work as he’d seen on the ground." Susie still felt very hazy about it, but she understood Jim had done something clever, and that was enough to make her happy. Meanwhile the excitement over the match grew very keen. The Deanery innings opened well, fifty runs being scored for the loss of two wickets; but after that matters went badly. One after the other, the batsmen were caught or bowled; and it seemed as if the captain could not get any one to stay with him for long. When the seventh wicket fell for exactly a hundred, Dick began to whistle comically. "There’s only Archer to depend on now," said he, "and it isn’t often he makes more than a dozen." "Why don’t you go in?" asked Susie. "Oh, I’m last man. I’m no good with the bat. They only play me for bowling. Oh, well done, Archer! That was a pretty cut for two. I hope he’ll get set." "So do I," said the girl, though rather wondering what to ’get set’ meant; and then Dick mystified her more than ever by remarking that if Archer got his eye in he might be good for a score. "It makes all the difference if a fellow has his eye in, you know," he said; and as this appeared reasonable, Susie agreed.