last ball of the over

Grant pursued the Fabian policy of keeping his bat almost immovableand trusting to luck. Point and the slips crowded round. Mid-off andmid-on moved half-way down the pitch. Grant looked embarrassed, butdetermined. For four balls he baffled the attack, though once nearlycaught by point a yard from the wicket. The fifth curled round hisbat, and touched the off-stump. A bail fell silently to the ground. 　　Devenish came in to take the last ball of the over. 　　It was an awe-inspiring moment. A great stillness was over all theground. Mike's knees trembled. Devenish's face was a delicate grey. 　　The only person unmoved seemed to be de Freece. His smile was evenmore amiable than usual as he began his run. 　　The next moment the crisis was past. The ball hit the very centre ofDevenish's bat, and rolled back down the pitch. 　　The school broke into one great howl of joy. There were still sevenruns between them and victory, but nobody appeared to recognise thisfact as important. Mike had got the bowling, and the bowling was notde Freece's. 　　It seemed almost an anti-climax when a four to leg and two two'sthrough the slips settled the thing. 　　* * * * *Devenish was caught and bowled in de Freece's next over; but theWrykyn total was one hundred and seventy-two. 　　* * * * *"Good game," said Maclaine, meeting Burgess in the pavilion. "Who wasthe man who made all the runs? How many, by the way?""Eighty-three. It was young Jackson. Brother of the other one.""That family! How many more of them are you going to have here?""He's the last. I say, rough luck on de Freece. He bowled rippingly."Politeness to a beaten foe caused Burgess to change his usual "notbad.""The funny part of it is," continued he, "that young Jackson was onlyplaying as a sub.""You've got a rum idea of what's funny," said Maclaine. Chapter 29 Wyatt Again It was a morning in the middle of September. The Jacksons werebreakfasting. Mr. Jackson was reading letters. The rest, includingGladys Maud, whose finely chiselled features were graduallydisappearing behind a mask of bread-and-milk, had settled down toserious work. The usual catch-as-catch-can contest between Marjory andPhyllis for the jam (referee and time-keeper, Mrs. Jackson) hadresulted, after both combatants had been cautioned by the referee, ina victory for Marjory, who had duly secured the stakes. The hour beingnine-fifteen, and the official time for breakfast nine o'clock, Mike'splace was still empty. 　　"I've had a letter from MacPherson," said Mr. Jackson.