As soon as I had promised to take an eleven down to Chartleigh I knew that I was in for trouble; but I did not realise how great it would be until I consulted Henry Barton. Henry is a first-class cricketer, and it was my idea that he should do all the batting for us, and such of the bowling as the laws allowed. I had also another idea, and this I explained to Henry. "As you are aware," I said, "the ideal side contains five good bats, four good bowlers, a wicket-keeper, and Henry Barton." "Quite so," agreed Henry. "That is the principle on which one selects an eleven. Now, I intend to strike out a line of my own. My team shall consist of three authors or journalists, two solicitors, four barristers, a couple from the Stock Exchange, some civil servants and an artist or two. How many is that?" "Nineteen." "Well, that's the idea, anyhow." "It's a rotten idea." "No, it's a splendid idea. I wonder nobody has thought of it before. I send a solicitor and a journalist in first. The journalist uses the long handle, while the solicitor plays for keeps." "And where does the artist come in?" "The artist comes in last, and plays for a draw. You are very slow to-day, Henry." Henry, the man of leisure, thought a moment. "Yes, that's all very well for you working men," he said at last, "but what do I go as? Or am I one of the barristers?" "You go as 'with Barton.' Yes. If you're very good you shall have an 'H' in brackets after you. 'With Barton (H)'" The method of choosing my team being settled, the next thing was the day. "Any day in the first week in July," the Chartleigh captain had said. Now at first sight there appear to be seven days in the week, but it is not really so. For instance, Saturday. Now there's a good day! What could one object to in a Saturday? But do you imagine Henry Barton would let it pass? "I don't think you'll get eleven people for the Saturday," he said. "People are always playing cricket on Saturday." "Precisely," I said. "Healthy exercise for the London toiler. That's why I'm asking 'em." "But I mean they'll have arranged to play already with their own teams. Or else they'll be going away for week-ends." "One can spend a very pretty week-end at Chartleigh." "H'm, let me think. Any day in the week, isn't it?" "Except, apparently, Saturday," I said huffily. "Let's see now, what days are there?" I mentioned two or three of the better-known ones. "Yes. Of course, some of those are impossible, though. We'd better go through the week and see which is best." I don't know who Barton is that he should take it upon himself to make invidious distinctions between the days of the week. "Very well, then," I said. "Sunday." "Ass." That seemed to settle Sunday, so we passed on to Monday. "You won't get your stockbroker on Monday," said Henry. "It's Contanger day or something with them every Monday." "Stocktaking, don't you mean?"