“How long have I been asleep, then?” I asked.
“’Bout an hour. Here! hi! what are you going to do?”
“Get up, and go down in the field,” I said.
“Hooray! Then it’s all right again?”
“No,” I replied; “but it’s a little better, and I should like to go and lie down under the big hedge, and see our fellows win.”
“Come, I do like that,” cried Mercer eagerly, as I went to the wash-stand, well bathed my temples, and then, feeling very sick and faint, but not in such pain, I put on my jacket and boots, and we went slowly down-stairs, and out into the field, where every one was too intent to take much notice of us, as Tom led me up to the big hedge, where I lay down on the grass about fifty yards from where the tent stood close up; and from time to time I saw the boys who were about to go in to bat, go to the tent to take off their jackets and vests, and come out ready for the fight.
Our boys were in, and I saw Dicksee change and go to the wicket to come back with a “duck’s egg,” as we called it. Then Hodson went in and made a stand, but a quarter of an hour later, the boy who faced him was caught, and Burr major walked up to the tent, disappeared, and came out again all in white, with a brand-new bat over his shoulder.
Just then Mercer, who had been round to the scorers, came back, and stood watching Burr major as he marched off.
“Oh, I say,” he said, “don’t you wish you were in it, Frank?”
“Yes,” I said, with a sigh. Then— “How’s the game now?”