Now and again the boys stopped the carriage, so that Susie, looking through the gateways, might see the flowers in all their glory of colour. She did not talk much; she was rather tired by the unusual excitement, and by her long stay in the open air.
Occasionally they passed a group of the Deanery boys, and then there were cries of "Good old Hartland!" "Well done, Angel!" which made Susie prouder than ever.
"I say, Dick," said one urchin, "is it true you've been asked to play for the county?"
The Angel, who loved a joke, laughed back broadly.
"Nothing's been settled yet," said he, "but I may give 'em a hand if they're hard pushed. I can't promise to play regularly, though—at least this season."
"What a pity!" exclaimed the boy; "you would have been such a help."
The town was beginning to fill with the usual Saturday evening crowd when they reached the main street, and the newsboys were lustily shouting, "Evening paper!"
"We must have a paper," said Jim's mother.
"Better wait a bit," observed Dick, with an air of wisdom; "the special edition will be out soon."
Just then Temple, the captain of the Magpies, came along. He was reading a paper, and would have passed our friends had not Dick said, "Hullo, old chap; anything about the match there?"