The name of Mr. Gingham’s colleague was Jones, and he and Gingham played the Babe and Reggie. Jones began, but failed at the second hoop, and the Babe having passed it, croquetted him cheerfully away into a fine big bush about one hundred yards distant. He said to Jones, in his genial way: “An enemy hath done this,” but got no reply. He then tried to get into position for the third hoop, and it is doubtful whether in all the annals of croquet, there was ever made so vilely futile a stroke. Gingham followed, and as it was hopeless to mobilise with a ball a hundred yards off, took a shot at the Babe’s ball, got through the third hoop, and secured position for the cage. Reggie mobilised with the Babe, and then there was a pause, broken by a confused but angry murmur from inside a beautiful laurestinus now in full flower. It is almost needless to explain that Jones could not find his ball. When he did discover it, he took it out and made an extraordinarily good attempt to get into position for the second hoop, but just hit the wire, and lay in a bee-line with the opening. He lit a cigarette and tried to kick the match with which he had lit it. Then it was that Satan entered into the Babe’s soul, and from this point an analysis of Jones’s strokes is worth recording. (I.) Secured position for the second hoop. (II.) Tried to regain position for the second hoop. (III.) Wired for the second hoop. (IV.) A curious stroke in which the cage was torn up and twisted as if by some convulsion of Nature, and had to be replaced in position and straightened. (V.) Hit the Babe’s ball, but played out of turn. Ball replaced, and stroke played again. No result, but left near the further stump. (VI.) Failed to secure position for the second hoop. (VII.) Secured position for the second hoop. (VIII.) A cross-country hit from below the willow-tree into the same beautiful laurestinus. (IX.) Captured the Babe’s ball, and sent it to the feet of the man with the beehive hat. (X.)} Returned by stages to the second } (XI.)} hoop. (XII.) Sent the Babe through the cage by accident. (XIII.) Secured position for the second hoop.