"But 'hail' here obviously has a wider significance. I take it to mean 'anything that descends suddenly from the clouds.' I haven't 'Williams on Real Property' with me, but----" "Come on," said Miss Middleton, "let's say it does mean that. And could you, _please_, keep them a bit more on the off?" "It's no good my keeping them there if you don't." The worst of coaching--I speak now as an expert--is that it is so difficult to know what to say when a lady whirls her bat twice round her head, gives a little shriek, gets the ball on the knee, and says, "What ought I to have done then?" The only answer I could think of was "Not that." "I thought you knew all about coaching," she said scornfully. "But, you see, it depends on what you were wanting to do," I said meekly. "If it was a drive you should have come out to it more, and if it was a cut you should have come down on it; while if it was a Highland fling you lacked _abandon_, and if you were killing a wasp----" "A good coach would know what was the best thing to do with that particular ball, wouldn't he? And that's just what he would tell you." "He wouldn't know," I said modestly. "You don't often meet that sort of ball in good cricket." "No, I suppose not. That's why I didn't know what to do, I expect. You know I generally know exactly what to do, only I can't do it." "Is that really so?" I cried excitedly. "Why, then, of course, you ought to coach _me_!" * * * * * * * We had a very jolly afternoon. I fancy I shall be in some form this year. Miss Middleton is one of the best bowlers I have seen, but I brought off some beautiful shots. I wanted some tea badly afterwards. "What glorious days we have now," said Miss Middleton's mother, as she handed me a cup. "Glorious," said Miss Middleton's father. "H'm, yes," I said doubtfully. "But you know I'm afraid it won't last. It's beginning to look rather like--like hail." "Yes," said Miss Middleton. "We both thought so." EXPLORING Come, gather around, my 'earties, and listen a while to me, For I 'ave a yarn to spin you, a yarn of the Polar Sea; It's as true as I'm standing here, lads, as true as it blows a gale, That I was the first as nearly burst a-finding the Great Big Nail-- As sworn to by Etukishook, Gaukrodger, J. C. Clegg, Sir Fortescue Flannery, and the Cardinal Merry del Val. It was all of a parky morning that wunnerful fourth of March, When I put on a hextry weskit and made for the Marble Arch; So I sez good-bye to my country, "Lunnon," I sez, "adoo!" And I up and strode down the Edgware Road athirsting to see it through, Followed by Etukishook, Gaukrodger, J. C. Clegg, Sir Fortescue Flannery, and the Cardinal Merry del Val.