Whereon five men stood up as one, suddenly took young Tom from behind, and despite his struggles, bore him bodily to the biggest and prickliest gooseberry bush in the vicinity. They deposited him on the top of it, with what appeared unnecessary violence, and when he wriggled himself off, he brought away a rather uncomfortable quantity of needles in his epidermis.
CHAPTER XIII
A Case of Heredity
WHEN peace had been restored, Captain George remarked, “Apropos of the Guv’nor’s curl in the air, it’s very singular and a bit annoying too that Grace is the only one of us who has developed it. There’s no doubt that she’s got it. Don’t you think so, sir?”
“Undoubtedly,” said the old gentleman. “And I think it is because she delivers the ball with a stiff arm, just as I used to do. It’s the clearest case of heredity that I ever saw.”
“If Grace was not a girl,” said Archie, “she’d be the best bowler in England to-day. That curl from leg of hers, when it occasionally takes it into its head to come back from the off after it’s pitched requires more watching than anything I know.”
“Grace, will you qualify for Kent?” said Carteret.
Miss Grace, although somewhat embarrassed by the praises of these great men, which caused her to blush most adorably, was supremely happy. It was honey to her to be considered on her merits as a cricketer.
“I wish this jolly leg curl was Charlie’s instead of mine,” said its flattered owner in the most unselfish manner. “What use is it to me? If Charlie’d got it now, Stoddy’d be obliged to take him with him in the autumn. Or even if that young cub of a Tommy had got it, it might get him in the county.”
“If the young cub in question can’t get in the county without the help of a girl,” said the Harrow captain, sore but dignified, “he’d prefer to stop outside, thank you.”
“Boy,” said the little parson, “you must learn to respect your elders—sisters especially.”