A Lad of Mettle

by Nat Gould

BY
NAT GOULD

AUTHOR OF ‘THE DOUBLE EVENT,’ ETC.

LONDON
GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND SONS, Limited
Broadway, Ludgate Hill

To
MY SONS.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER		PAGE
I.	BULLY RAKES TAKEN DOWN	[9]
II.	IN THE CRICKET-FIELD	[19]
III.	A CRITICAL MOMENT	[28]
IV.	LEAVING SCHOOL	[38]
V.	A FURIOUS STORM	[46]
VI.	THE ‘DISTANT SHORE’	[55]
VII.	WHAT THE MORNING BROUGHT FORTH	[64]
VIII.	IN WAL JESSOP’S COTTAGE	[74]
IX.	UP COUNTRY	[83]
X.	A WILD SCENE	[92]
XI.	YACKA THE BLACK	[101]
XII.	IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURES	[110]
XIII.	BY THE LAGOON	[119]
XIV.	ON THE OVERLAND LINE	[129]
XV.	THROUGH THE RANGES	[139]
XVI.	AFTER THE FIGHT	[148]
XVII.	WONDROUS CAVERNS	[158]
XVIII.	THE WHITE SPIRIT	[167]
XIX.	THE FORCES OF NATURE	[176]
XX.	THE RETURN TO YANDA	[186]
XXI.	AN EXCITING CHASE	[195]
XXII.	TIME FLIES	[204]
XXIII.	AN EVENTFUL NIGHT	[214]
XXIV.	HOME AGAIN	[223]
XXV.	THE SCENE AT LORD’S	[232]
XXVI.	AN UPHILL GAME	[241]
XXVII.	THE CAPTAIN OR HIS GHOST	[250]
XXVIII.	A STRANGE STORY	[259]
XXIX.	WARLIKE SPORTS	[269]
XXX.	GOOD-BYE TO AUSTRALIA	[278]

A LAD OF METTLE

CHAPTER I.
BULLY RAKES TAKEN DOWN.

Lessons were over for the day, and the boys at Redbank School came running with shouts and whoops of joy into the playing-fields. They were like young colts freed from restraint for a few hours, and eager to make the most of their liberty.

Redbank was the home of brilliant cricketers and all-round athletes. Many a noted cricketer had received his first lessons in the great game on Redbank cricket ground. The lads were proud of the men who played in the All England eleven, and who were never slow to acknowledge that to Redbank they owed what prowess they possessed.