He used always--Phew! my eye, what an awful crack!" A terrifically swift ball from Austin had risen suddenly from the hard ground.

Thurston had no time to avoid it, but turning away his face, received the blow on the back of his head.

He dropped his bat, staggered away from the wicket, and fell forward on his knees.
To suffer for the cause of the school in a cricket or football match was a thing which, like charity, "covered a multitude of sins." Allingford hurried out of the pavilion and ran towards the pitch, while Partridge and a few more of the "Wraxby men gathered round their wounded opponent and helped him to his feet.
"You'd better come out, Thurston," said the Ronleigh captain; "I'll send the next man in." "No, I'll go on," replied the other, in rather a shaky voice; "I shall be all right in a minute." It requires something more than ordinary pluck for a batsman to stand up to fast bowling and show good form after having been badly hit.

For a time a great deal of determination, and the exercise of a considerable amount of will power, are necessary to conquer the natural inclination to shrink from a possible repetition of the injury; and those who watched the dogged manner in which Thurston continued to defend his wicket, being themselves practical cricketers, rewarded him with loud shouts of encouragement and praise.
Oaks piled on the score with unflagging energy, while the careful play of his companion defied all attempts of the Wraxby bowlers to dissolve the partnership.
"Bravo, 'Thirsty!'" shouted the spectators.

"Go 'long'-- and another!" At length, just as the telegraph operator had received the welcome order, "A hundred up!" the ball shot, and crashed into Thurston's wicket.