"Yes, I see. He shall play with Jane against you and Miss Middleton. By the way, let me introduce you all." We bowed to each other for a bit, and then I had another shock. The N.R. champion's mallet was bound with brass at each end (in case he wanted to hit backwards suddenly) and had a silver plate on it. Jane's had the brass only. It was absurd that they should play together. I drew Miss Middleton on one side. "I say," I began nervously, "I'm frightfully sorry, but I quite forgot to bring my mallet. Will it matter very much?" "I haven't one either." "You know, when my man was packing my bag, I particularly said to him, 'Now, don't forget to put in a mallet.' He said, 'Shall I put the spare one in too, sir, because the best one's sprung a bit?'" "Oh, I've never had one of my own. I suppose when one is really good----" "Well, to tell you the truth, I've never had one either. We're fairly in for it now." "Never mind, we'll amuse ourselves somehow, I expect." "Oh, I'm quite looking forward to it." CHAPTER I They kicked off from the summer-house end, and, after jockeying for the start a bit, the N.R. champion got going. He went very slowly but very surely. I watched anxiously for ten minutes, expecting my turn every moment. After a quarter of an hour I raised my hat and moved away. "Shall we sit down?" I said to Miss Middleton. "We shall be in the way if we sit down here, sha'n't we?" "Outside that chalk line we're safe?" "I--I suppose so." We moved outside and sat down on the grass. "I never even had a chalk line," I said mournfully. "It's much more fun without." "You know," I went on, "I can beat them all at home. Why even Wilfrid----" "It's just the same with me," said Miss Middleton. "Hilda did win once by a frightful fluke, but----" "But this is quite different. At home it would be considered jolly bad form to go on all this time." "One would simply go in and leave them," said Miss Middleton. "You know, it's awful fun at home. The lawn goes down in terraces, and if you hit the other person's ball hard enough you can get it right down to the bottom; and it takes at least six to get back on the green again." Miss Middleton gurgled to herself. "We've got a stream ... round our lawn," she said, in gasps. "It's such a joke ... and once ... when Hilda..." CHAPTER II "May I call you 'Mary?'" I said; "we're still here." "Well, we have known each other a long time, certainly," said Miss Middleton. "I think you might." "Thanks very much." "What hoop is he at?" "He's just half-way." "I suppose, when he's finished, then, Jane does it all?" "It practically comes to that. I believe, as a matter of form, I am allowed a shot in between." "That won't make any difference, will it?" "No...." "It's awfully hot, isn't it?" "Yes.... Do you bicycle much?" "No.... Do you?" "No. I generally sleep in the afternoons." "Much the best thing to do. Good-night." "Good-night." CHAPTER III