And when the bat and leg were both at B (Having arrived there more or less together), Then Tomkins, with his usual self-effacement, Modestly closed his eyes, and left the rest To Providence and Ranjy and the bowler (Forming a quorum); two at least of whom Resolved that he should neatly glide the ball Somewhere between the first and second slips. So Tomkins did compile a chanceless two. Once more the bowler rushed upon the crease, While Tomkins made a hasty calculation (Necessitating use of decimals) And found his average was 1.5. So lustily he smote and drove the ball Loftily over long stop's head for one; Which brought the decimal to seventy-five, And Tomkins, puffing, to the other end. Then, feeling that the time for risks was come, He rolled his sleeves up, blew upon his hands, And played back to a yorker, and was bowled. Every position has its special charm. You go in first and find as a reward The wicket at its best; you go in later And find the fielders slack, the bowling loose. Tomkins, who went in just above the Byes, Found one of them had slipped into his score. 'Tis wise to take the good the gods provide you-- And Tomkins has an average of two. SMALL GAMES PHYSICAL CULTURE "Why don't you sit up?" said Adela at dinner, suddenly prodding me in the back. Adela is old enough to take a motherly interest in my figure, and young enough to look extremely pretty while doing so. "I always stoop at meals," I explained; "it helps the circulation. My own idea." "But it looks so bad. You ought----" "Don't improve me," I begged, "No wonder you have----" "Hush! I haven't. I got a bullet on the liver in the campaign of '03, due to over-smoking, and sometimes it hurts me a little in the cold weather. That's all." "Why don't you try the Hyperion?" "I will. Where is it?" "It isn't anywhere; you buy it." "Oh, I thought you dined at it. What do you buy it for?" "It's one of those developers with elastics and pulleys and so on. Every morning early, for half-an-hour before breakfast----" "You _are_ trying to improve me," I said suspiciously. "But they are such good things," went on Adela earnestly. "They really do help to make you beautiful----" "I _am_ beautiful." "Well, much more beautiful. And strong----" "Are you being simply as tactful as you can be?" "--and graceful." "It isn't as though you were actually a relation," I protested. Adela continued, full of her ideas: "It would do you so much good, you know. Would you promise me to use it every day if I sent you mine?" "Why don't you want yours any more now? Are you perfect now?" "You can easily hook it to the wall----" "I suppose," I reflected, "there is a limit of beauty beyond which it is dangerous to go. After that, either the thing would come off the hook, or----" "Well," said Adela suddenly, "aren't I looking well?"