Little Plum Warner stood in a corner, Thinking he’d like to bowl. The captain said, “Hum, I _will_ put on Plum, He may get me out of this hole.” But sad to relate, he did not. Captain Trevor, the popular “Dux,” used to tell a cheery story about the demoralising effect of first-class cricket. Mr. A. S. Archer had been a big scorer for the Incogs; then he went with Lord Hawke’s team to the Cape, and on his return had changed his style, and could score no more. Captain Trevor plucked up courage enough to suggest he should forget that he had ever “figured in averages,” and should play in the old way. “You want the golf shot?” “If you please.” “And the tennis scoop towards third man?” “Certainly.” “And a pull?” “Three in each over.” “Right.” He went to the wicket and made ninety without a chance that was accepted. [Illustration: _A COUNTRY HOUSE CRICKET MATCH._] Any one who has much to do with getting up matches can tell eloquent tales about being chucked. Perhaps nobody quite appreciates the force of the parable in which they all with one accord began to make excuse, until he is running a cricket week. This telegram was positively sent by the man on whom everything depended, “Can’t come; am summoned on a jury.” The wretched captain retorted, “Rot, you are not a householder,” but he had to fill the vacancy. Not long ago Mr. A. D. Whatman, wrote begging forgiveness, but the fact was, he was off fishing. As for the accident which keeps a man who is passing through town “laid up and unable to come on,” it is nearly as ancient and as annoying to the manager as that hoary chestnut, “prevented by an illness in my family.” However, these things will occur in the best-arranged teams. There is a comfort and ease about country-house and minor cricket, which you do not get in the charmed circle of first-class matches. The good-humoured chaff is most healthy, and certainly tends to prevent mannerisms, into which many engaged in prominent cricket find they are apt to drop. Also the search-light of publicity is conspicuous by its absence.