towns and rivers. In grammar the boys had to show that they understood a rule by citing examples other than those given in their books. History was rather a lecture from the master than a repetition of dry facts and dates by the boys. Latin and mathematics were made clear in a similar way. ' It was almost too good to last,' the boys said after the first day's experience of this new method of teaching; but it did last. A considerable portion of the work out of school was devoted to the keeping up the facts they had learned, for Mr. Porson was constantly going back and seeing that their memories retained the facts they had acquired, and what they called examinations were a part of the daily routine.
In some points upon which Mr. Hathorn had laid the greatest stress Mr. Porson was indifferent—dates, which had been the bane of many a boy's life and an unceasing source of punishment, he regarded but little, insisting
only that the general period should be known, and his questions generally took the form of, 'In the beginning or at the end of such and such a century, what was the state of things in England or in Rome ?' A few dates of special events, the landmarks of history, were required to be learned accurately, all others were passed over as unimportant.
It was not that the boys worked fewer hours than before, but that they worked more intelligently, and therefore more pleasantly to themselves. The boys—and there were some—who imagined that under this new method of teaching they could be idle, very soon found out their mistake, and discovered that in his way Mr. Porson was just as strict as his predecessor. He never lost his temper; but his cold displeasure was harder to bear than Mr. Hathorn's wrath; nor were punishments wanting. Although the cane was idle, those who would not work were kept in the school-room during play hours; and in cases where this was found to be ineffectual Mr.Porson coldly said:
'Your parents pay me to teach you, and if you do not choose to be taught I have only to write home to them and request them to take you away. If you are one of those boys who will only learn from fear of the cane you had better go to some school where the cane is used.'
This threat, which would have been ineffective in Mr. Hathorn's time, never failed to have an effect now; for even Mather, the idlest and worst boy there, was able to appreciate the difference between the present regime and the last. In a marvellously short time Mr. Porson seemed to have gauged the abilities of each of the boys,
and while he expected much from those who were able to master easily their tasks, he was content with less from the duller intellects, providing they had done their best. After a week's experience of Mr. Porson, Ned gave so glowing an account to his father of the new master and his methods that Captain Sankey went down to the school and arranged that Charlie, now ten years old, should accompany his brother. There were several boys no older than he; but Charlie differed widely from his elder brother, being a timid and delicate child, and ill-fitted to take care of himself. Captain Sankey felt, however, after what Ned had told him of Mr. Porson, that he could trust to him during the school hours, and Ned would be an active protector in the playground.
It was not until a fortnight after the school began that the Four-acre Field was ready. By that time a flock of sheep had been turned into it, and had eaten the grass smooth, and a heavy horse-roller had been at work for a day making a level pitch in the centre. It was a Saturday afternoon when the boys took possession of it for the first time. As they were about to start in the highest glee, Mr. Porson joined them. Some of their faces fell a little; but he said cheerfully:
'Now, boys, I am going with you; but not, you know, to look after you or keep you in order. I want you all to enjoy yourselves just in your own way, and I mean to enjoy myself too. I have been a pretty good cricketer in my time, and played in the York Eleven against Leeds, so I may be able to coach you up to a little, and I
hope after a bit we may be able to challenge some of the village elevens round here. I am afraid Marsden will be too good for us for some time; still, we shall see.'
On reaching the field Mr. Porson saw the ground measured and the wickets erected, and then said:
' Now I propose we begin with a match. There are enough of us to make more than two elevens; but there are the other games. Would any of the bigger boys like to play quoits better than cricket?'
Mather, who felt much aggrieved at the master's presence, said he should prefer quoits; and Williamson, who always followed his lead, agreed to play with him.
' Now,' Mr. Porson said, ' do you, Ripon, choose an
eleven. I will take the ten next best. The little ones
who are over can play at trap-bat, or bowls, as they
like.' There was a general approval of the plan. Ripon
chose an eleven of the likeliest boys, selecting the biggest
and most active; for as there had been no room for
cricket in the yard their aptitude for the game was a
matter of guess-work, though most of them had played
during the holidays. Mr. Porson chose the next ten, and
after tossing for innings, which Ripon won, they set to
work. Mr. Porson played for a time as long-stop, putting
on two of the strongest of his team as bowlers, and Changes ' o
ing them from time to time to test their capacity. None of them turned out brilliant, and the runs came fast, and the wickets taken were few and far between, until at last Mr. Porson himself took the ball.
' I am not going to bowl fast,' he said, 'just straight
easy lobs;' but the boys found that the straight lobs were not so easy after all, and the wickets of the boys who had made a long score soon fell. Most of those who followed managed to make a few runs as well off Mr. Porson's bowling as from that at the other end; for the master did not wish to discourage them, and for a few overs after each batsman came to the wicket aimed well off it so as to give them a chance of scoring.
The last wicket fell for the respectable score of fifty-four. The junior eleven then went in, the master not going in until the last. Only twenty runs had been made when he took the bat. In the five balls of the over which were bowled to him he made three fours; but before it came to his turn again his partner at the other end was out, and his side were twenty-two behind on the first innings. The other side scored thirty-three for the first four wickets before he again took the ball, and the remaining bxx went down for twelve runs. His own party implored him to go in first, but he refused.
'No, no, boys,' he said; 'you must win the match, if you can, without much aid from me.'
The juniors made a better defence this time and scored forty before the ninth wicket fell. Then Mr. Porson went in and ran the score up to sixty before his partner was out, the seniors winning the match by nine runs. Both sides were highly pleased with the result of the match. The seniors had won after a close game. The juniors were well pleased to have run their elders so hard. They all gathered round their master and thanked him warmly.
' I am glad you are pleased, my boys,' he said; ' I will come down two or three times a week and bowl to you for an hour and give you a few hints, and you will find that you get on fast. There is plenty of promise among you, and I prophesy that we shall turn out a fair eleven by the end of the season.'
The younger boys had also enjoyed themselves greatly, and had been joined by many of the elders while waiting for their turn to go in Altogether the opening day of the Four-acre Field had been a great success.
The old cake-woman who had previously supplied the boys still came once a week, her usual time being Wednesday evening, when, after tea, the boys played for half an hour in the yard before going in to their usual lessons. Ned was not usually present, but he one evening went back to fetch a book which he needed. As he came in at the gate of the yard Mather was speaking to the woman.
' No, I won't let you have any more, Master Mather. You have broken your promises to me over and over again. That money you owed me last half ain't been paid yet. If it had only been the money for the cakes and sweets I shouldn't ha' minded so much, but it's that ten shillings you borrowed and promised me solemn you would pay at end of the week and ain't never paid yet. I have got to make up my rent, and I tell ye if I don't get the money by Saturday I shall speak to t' maister about it and see what he says to such goings on.'
'Don't talk so loud,' Mather said hurriedly, 'and 1 will get you the money as soon as I can.'
' I don't care who hears me,' the woman replied in a still louder voice, ' and as soon as you can won't do for I. I have got to have it on Saturday, so that's flat. I will come up to the field, and you'll best have it ready for me.'
Ned did not hear the last few words, but he had heard enough to know that Mather owed ten shillings which he had borrowed, besides a bill for cakes. Mather had not noticed him come into the yard, for his back was towards
