First he declared that the ground was not level; but seeing the good strokes made by others, he retracted that observation, and waited awhile. "I don't think my ball is quite round, Vining," he exclaimed, after another bad stroke. "Pooh! nonsense!" laughed Charley. "You didn't try; it was because you didn't want to hit Miss Bray." "No--no! 'Pon my word, no--'pon my word!" exclaimed Hugh, protesting as he grew more and more pink. "Did his best, I'd swear--bai Jove, he did!" drawled Max, playing, and sending poor Lingon off the ground. Then, after a time, Lingon had his turn once more. "It's not the ball, it's this mallet--it is indeed!" he exclaimed, after an atrocious blow. "Just you look here, Vining: the handle's all on one side." "Never mind! Try again, my boy," laughed Charley; and soon after he had to bring both his lady partners up again to their hoop, sending Laura's ball away to make room for them, and on the whole treating it rather harshly, Laura's eyes flashing the while with vexation. "I like croquet for some things," said Laura's partner, the thin curate, after vainly trying to render her a service; "I but it's a very unchristian-like sort of game--one seems to give all one's love to one's friends, and to keep none for one's enemies." "O, come, I say," laughed Charley, who seemed to be in high spirits. "Here's Mr Louther talking about love to Miss Bray!" "Indeed, I assure you--" exclaimed the curate. "But I distinctly heard the word," laughed Charley. "Was that meant for a witticism?" sneered Laura. "Wit? no!" said Charley good-humouredly. "I never go in for that sort of thing." "Bai Jove, Vining! why don't you attend to the ga-a-a-me?" drawled Max, who was suffering from too much of the second Miss Lingon--a young lady who looked upon him as an Adonis. "Not my turn," said Charley. "Yes, yes!" said Hugh Lingon innocently. "Miss Bedford wants you to help her along!" "Of course," sneered Laura. "Such impudence!" But Charley did not hear her words; for he was already half-way towards poor Ella, who seemed to shrink from him as he approached, and watched with a troubled breast the efforts he made upon her behalf. "Now it's my turn again," said Hugh. "Now just give me your advice here, Vining. What ought I to do?" Charley interrupted a remark he was making to Ella Bedford, and pointed out the most advantageous play, when Hugh Lingon raised his mallet, the blow fell, and--he missed. "Now, did you ever see anything like that?" he exclaimed, appealing to the company. "Yes, often!" laughed Charley. "But what can be the reason?" exclaimed Lingon. "Why, bai Jove! it's because you're such a muff, Lingon, bai Jove!" exclaimed Max. "I am--I know I am!" said Lingon good-humouredly. "But, you know, I can't help it--can't indeed!"