“I’ll teach you to refuse Halliday, and then take me, when you wouldn’t a’ got to mine at all if you hadn’t been such a quick-footed little brute,” cried Mid-off in triumph.
Although it was one of the most flagrant cases of deception that either Middlesex or Gloucestershire had ever seen practised, the unfortunate Toddles had undoubtedly received his quietus.
“Just the sort o’ thing a girl would do,” said T. S. M. “Beas’ly bad form, I call it.”
“Let this be a warning to you, Tommy,” said Miss Grace, who actually seemed to be exulting in her act. “As you’re so young, Kent’s certain to try it on Monday. Toddles will, for one.”
“It’s worse than the Cambridge no-ball dodge,” said Carteret, coming in last man to bat.
The finish proved exciting to a degree. Carteret was a first-class bat in every way, who had a fine eye, and came down very hard on the ball. Despite the correctness of the fielding, and the fine length that Charlie kept, Gloucestershire won by one wicket.
As W. G. led the victorious eleven back to the remains of the strawberries and cream, our representative understood the Champion to remark:—
“I’ve said all along that this very toney, classy Middlesex team had only got to be tackled fair for the stitches to come undone, and the sawdust to begin to trickle. Two lickings in succession’s pretty thick, ain’t it, Stoddy? You two’ll stay to dinner of course?”
“Charmed,” said I promptly. And then in a judicious aside to George, “But what price togs? Riding breeches and a flannel shirt, don’t you know!”
“Don’t fag with dressing when we’re on our own, do we boys,” said the consummate Grace, who had an alertness that was as perfect as her frankness. “The Guv’nor’s good as gold, especially in summer. It’s only when the Bishop brings his Mary, or there’s a bit of a slap-up dinner party on, which I sometimes let the Guv’nor have if his behaviour’s been very beautiful, well then, of course, we have to buck up a bit, and try to look pretty.”