The Fifth had succeeded in arranging a cricket fixture for Wednesday half-holiday as the weather still continued too warm for hockey and netball, and had challenged the rest of the school. Irene was captaining the Fifth, having pressed nearly the whole of the form into the team in order to complete it. She and Betty Cairns went in to open the batting for the Fifth.
Nat sat on one of the forms near the pavilion with Monica by her side, with the laudable intention of initiating her into the science of the noble game. Monica, needless to say, had not been asked to play and seemed rather relieved when she heard that her services would not be required.
"Now," said Nat in explanatory tones, "those two girls you see at the wickets are going to bat."
Monica gazed across the green field. "Yes, I suppose so, as they appear to be holding bats," she remarked with a touch of irony, then added with a genuine attempt to appear interested: "Which one is playing for your side and which for the other side?"
Nat looked puzzled. "I don't quite see what you mean. Our form is playing a school eleven, as there aren't enough girls in the Sixth to make up an eleven of their own."
"Yes, but what I meant was, which girl is batting for the Fifth and which for the school?"
Nat burst out laughing. "Why, both batsmen are on one side, of course."
"And all those other girls?"
"Oh, they are all on the other side and trying to get the batsmen out. There is the bowler; the wicket-keeper—the girl with the pads on—and the rest are fielding."
It was Monica's turn to look astonished. "What, two against one, two, three—ten, eleven! I don't call that a bit fair."