Most devoutly I hoped no ball would chance near me, as I should assuredly miss it.

As the thought passed my mind the man who was batting cut a ball hard and low in my direction.

It was so hard and so low that under any circumstances it would have been a most difficult ball to field, still more to catch.
It flew towards me a few inches from the ground, and I was in despair.
I knew every eye in the field was on me--Steel's in particular.

Here would be some hundreds of witnesses to my utter imbecility! Would that the ground would swallow me! I sprang forward and tripped as I sprang.
In my fall the ball dashed into my hand, and fell from it to the earth.
I had missed the catch, and my disgrace was complete.

Fancy then my astonishment when I heard Steel's awful voice cry, "Well tried, sir!" and when a distant sound of clapping reached me from the tents! I could not understand it at first; but I afterwards found out that by my lucky trip I had more nearly succeeded in catching the ball than a more experienced player would have done had he kept his balance, and so I got credit for a good piece of play which I did not in the least deserve.
However, it served to recover me from my nervousness and bad spirits, and incite me to a desire to accomplish something for which I could honestly take credit.
Never was such a determination more called for than now.