"You _are_ the limit," said Adair. "What's he done?" "Nothing. We had a very pleasant chat, and then I tore myself away." "Do you mean to say he's not going to do a thing?" "Not a thing." "Well, you're a marvel," said Adair. Psmith thanked him courteously. They walked on toward the houses. "By the way, Adair," said Mike, as the latter started to turn in at Downing's, "I'll write to Strachan tonight about that match." "What's that?" asked Psmith. "Jackson's going to try and get Wrykyn to give us a game," said Adair. "They've got a vacant date. I hope the dickens they'll do it." "Oh, I should think they're certain to," said Mike. "Good night." "And give Comrade Downing, when you see him," said Psmith, "my very best love. It is men like him who make this Merrie England of ours what it is." * * * * * "I say, Psmith," said Mike suddenly, "what really made you tell Downing you'd done it?" "The craving for--" "Oh, chuck it. You aren't talking to the Old Man now. I believe it was simply to get me out of a jolly tight corner." Psmith's expression was one of pain. "My dear Comrade Jackson," said he, "you wrong me. You make me writhe. I'm surprised at you. I never thought to hear those words from Michael Jackson." "Well, I believe you did, all the same," said Mike obstinately. "And it was jolly good of you, too." Psmith moaned. 30 SEDLEIGH V. WRYKYN The Wrykyn match was three parts over, and things were going badly for Sedleigh. In a way one might have said that the game was over, and that Sedleigh had lost; for it was a one-day match, and Wrykyn, who had led on the first innings, had only to play out time to make the game theirs.