Wyatt got back late that night, arriving at the dormitory as Mike wasgoing to bed.

　　"By Jove, I'm done," he said. "It was simply baking at Geddington. AndI came back in a carriage with Neville-Smith and Ellerby, and theyragged the whole time. I wanted to go to sleep, only they wouldn't letme. Old Smith was awfully bucked because he'd taken four wickets. Ishould think he'd go off his nut if he took eight ever. He was singingcomic songs when he wasn't trying to put Ellerby under the seat. How'syour wrist?""Oh, better, thanks."Wyatt began to undress.

　　"Any colours?" asked Mike after a pause. First eleven colours weregenerally given in the pavilion after a match or on the journey home.

　　"No. Only one or two thirds. Jenkins and Clephane, and another chap,can't remember who. No first, though.""What was Bob's innings like?""Not bad. A bit lucky. He ought to have been out before he'd scored,and he was out when he'd made about sixteen, only the umpire didn'tseem to know that it's l-b-w when you get your leg right in front ofthe wicket and the ball hits it. Never saw a clearer case in my life.

　　I was in at the other end. Bit rotten for the Geddington chaps. Justlost them the match. Their umpire, too. Bit of luck for Bob. He didn'tgive the ghost of a chance after that.""I should have thought they'd have given him his colours.""Most captains would have done, only Burgess is so keen on fieldingthat he rather keeps off it.""Why, did he field badly?""Rottenly. And the man always will choose Billy's bowling to dropcatches off. And Billy would cut his rich uncle from Australia if hekept on dropping them off him. Bob's fielding's perfectly sinful. Hewas pretty bad at the beginning of the season, but now he's got sonervous that he's a dozen times worse. He turns a delicate green whenhe sees a catch coming. He let their best man off twice in one over,off Billy, to-day; and the chap went on and made a hundred odd.

　　Ripping innings bar those two chances. I hear he's got an average ofeighty in school matches this season. Beastly man to bowl to. Knockedme off in half a dozen overs. And, when he does give a couple of easychances, Bob puts them both on the floor. Billy wouldn't have givenhim his cap after the match if he'd made a hundred. Bob's the sort ofman who wouldn't catch a ball if you handed it to him on a plate, withwatercress round it."Burgess, reviewing the match that night, as he lay awake in hiscubicle, had come to much the same conclusion. He was very fond ofBob, but two missed catches in one over was straining the bonds ofhuman affection too far. There would have been serious trouble betweenDavid and Jonathan if either had persisted in dropping catches off theother's bowling. He writhed in bed as he remembered the second of thetwo chances which the wretched Bob had refused. The scene wasindelibly printed on his mind. Chap had got a late cut which hefancied rather. With great guile he had fed this late cut. Sent down acouple which he put to the boundary. Then fired a third much fasterand a bit shorter. Chap had a go at it, just as he had expected: andhe felt that life was a good thing after all when the ball justtouched the corner of the bat and flew into Bob's hands. And Bobdropped it!

　　The memory was too bitter. If he dwelt on it, he felt, he would getinsomnia. So he turned to pleasanter reflections: the yorker which hadshattered the second-wicket man, and the slow head-ball which had ledto a big hitter being caught on the boundary. Soothed by thesememories, he fell asleep.

　　Next morning he found himself in a softened frame of mind. He thoughtof Bob's iniquities with sorrow rather than wrath. He felt towards himmuch as a father feels towards a prodigal son whom there is still achance of reforming. He overtook Bob on his way to chapel.

　　Directness was always one of Burgess's leading qualities.

　　"Look here, Bob. About your fielding. It's simply awful."Bob was all remorse.

　　"It's those beastly slip catches. I can't time them.""That one yesterday was right into your hands. Both of them were.""I know. I'm frightfully sorry.""Well, but I mean, why _can't_ you hold them? It's no good beinga good bat--you're that all right--if you're going to give away runsin the field.""Do you know, I believe I should do better in the deep. I could gettime to watch them there. I wish you'd give me a shot in the deep--forthe second.""Second be blowed! I want your batting in the first. Do you thinkyou'd really do better in the deep?""I'm almost certain I should. I'll practise like mad. Trevor'll hit meup catches. I hate the slips. I get in the dickens of a funk directlythe bowler starts ............