"I dare say. Anyhow, no one in the House can get away on a Monday." "I must have my stockbrokers. Tuesday." Tuesday, it seemed, was hopeless. I was a fool to have thought of Tuesday. Why, everybody knew that Tuesday was an impossible day for---- I forget what spoilt Tuesday's chance. I fancy it was a busy day for Civil Servants. No one in the Home Civil can get away on a Tuesday. I know that sounds absurd, but Henry was being absurd just then. Or was it barristers? Briefs get given out on a Tuesday, I was made to understand. That brought us to Wednesday. I hoped much from Wednesday. "Yes," said Henry. "Wednesday might do. Of course most of the weeklies go to press on Wednesday. Rather an awkward day for journalists. What about Thursday?" I began to get annoyed. "Thursday my flannel trousers go to the press," I said--"that is to say, they come back from the wash then." "Look here, why try to be funny?" "Hang it, who started it? Talking about Contanger-days. Contanger--it sounds like a new kind of guano." "Well, if you don't believe me----" "Henry, I do. Thursday be it, then." "Yes, I suppose that's all right," said Henry doubtfully. "Why not? Don't say it's sending-in day with artists," I implored. "Not _every_ Thursday?" "No. Only there's Friday, and----" "Friday is _my_ busy day," I pleaded--"my one ewe lamb. Do not rob me of it." "It's a very good day, Friday. I think you'd find that most people could get off then." "But why throw over Thursday like this? A good, honest day, Henry. Many people get born on a Thursday, Henry. And it's a marrying day, Henry. A nice, clean, sober day, and you----" "The fact is," said Henry, "I've suddenly remembered I'm engaged myself on Thursday." This was too much. "Henry," I said coldly, "you forget yourself--you forget yourself strangely, my lad. Just because I was weak enough to promise you an 'H' after your name. You seem to have forgotten that the 'H' was to be in brackets." "Yes, but I'm afraid I really am engaged." "Are you really? Look here--I'll leave out the 'with' and you shall be one of us. There! Baby, see the pretty gentlemen!" Henry smiled and shook his head. "Oh, well," I said, "we must have you. So if you say Friday, Friday it is. You're quite sure Friday is all right for solicitors? Very well, then." So the day was settled for Friday. It was rather a pity, because, as I said, in the ordinary way Friday is the day I put aside for work. II. THE SELECTION COMMITTEE The committee consisted of Henry and myself. Originally it was myself alone, but as soon as I had selected Henry I proceeded to co-opt him, reserving to myself, however, the right of a casting vote in case of any difference of opinion. One arose, almost immediately, over Higgins. Henry said: (_a_) That Higgins had once made ninety-seven. (_b_) That he had been asked to play for his county. (_c_) That he was an artist, and we had arranged to have an artist in the team.