▁has ▁business ▁interests ▁in ▁the ▁Argent ine , ▁emp lo ys ▁a ▁cr icket ▁pro , ▁a ▁loyal ▁man ▁named ▁Sau nd ers , ▁to ▁train ▁his ▁boys ▁during ▁the ▁hol id ays . ▁Their ▁house ▁is ▁at ▁Cro ft on , ▁in ▁Sh ro pshire , ▁where ▁they ▁keep ▁a ▁bul ld og ▁named ▁John , ▁Mike ' s ▁in separ able ▁companion ▁during ▁the ▁hol id ays . ▁ ▁Mike ' s ▁early ▁school ing ▁was ▁at ▁a ▁private ▁school ▁named ▁" K ing - H all ' s ", ▁at ▁E ms worth ▁in ▁Ham pshire ; ▁he ▁made ▁seven ▁centuries ▁there ▁in ▁his ▁last ▁year , ▁including ▁one ▁knock ▁of ▁ 1 2 3 . ▁At ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁fifteen , ▁a ▁place ▁is ▁found ▁for ▁him ▁at ▁W ry k yn , ▁where ▁his ▁brothers ▁before ▁him ▁had ▁attended . ▁ ▁His ▁huge ▁self - conf idence ▁and ▁skill ▁in ▁batt ing ▁bring ▁him ▁much ▁success ▁at ▁W ry k yn , ▁and ▁his ▁noble ▁character ▁makes ▁him ▁many ▁friends . ▁After ▁three ▁happy ▁years ▁there , ▁as ▁he ▁is ▁on ▁the ▁ver ge ▁of ▁taking ▁over ▁the ▁captain cy ▁of ▁the ▁cr icket ▁team , ▁he ▁is ▁forced , ▁thanks ▁to ▁poor ▁academic ▁work , ▁to ▁leave ▁W ry k yn . ▁He ▁goes ▁to ▁Sed le igh , ▁a ▁less er ▁school ▁which ▁he ▁res ents , ▁but ▁it ▁is ▁there ▁that ▁he ▁meets ▁P sm ith , ▁with ▁whom ▁he ▁would ▁form ▁a ▁last ing