The boundaries are liberal, especially on the north and north-east; indeed, the former looks well worth five runs. There goes their crack player! Bowled by Lord for a "duck." This is an extremely good riddance, for he is a doughty bat; a left hander, with a strong defence, and a dangerous capacity for scoring if he once gets set. Two more wickets in rapid succession, both to the science master; and the end comes with surprising rapidity. The first lieutenant, his many-coloured blazer showing up to advantage in the strong sunlight, comes along with a joyous countenance. "Lucky! got 'em out for 59; strong team, too!" Very lucky: and not all luck, either. Being, of course, strong partisans of _Britannia_, we rejoice with him, and hope his side will be in form with the bat. The "gallery" is mustering rapidly. Nearly all the officers of the ship are on the ground; the captain strolls up, with two or three children and a happy dog; officers' wives, and outside friends, make a goodly show on the seats along the terrace, half-way down the bank. Time for _Britannia_ to go in, and Engineer Lieutenants Benn and Smith are deputed to open the ball. Athletics, as is well known, are by no means neglected at the Engineers' Training College; and these two gentlemen, whose duty it is to look after the engines of the tenders attached to the _Britannia_, and initiate the cadets into the mysteries of steam, are well able also to show them a wrinkle or two in handling the willow. The bowling starts well. Looking at the pitch, in nautical parlance, "broadside on," one is able to see what a good length the left hander keeps: shoots unpleasantly, too, at times, so that you have to be wide awake to get down on them. These two are bad men to bowl at, though; they "keep their hair on," watching the ball keenly, and contenting themselves at first with a snick or two through the slips, or a "pull" of moderate dimensions. But the left hander is beginning to lose his length a little, and pitches them up; so the batsmen may get a chance of "opening their shoulders." Lieutenant Benn faces him for a fresh over. Ah! there is one well pitched up: he won't let that off! Not he: a lovely off-drive, going at a tremendous pace, all along the ground, just outside mid-off, who makes a wild grab, but fails to reach it. Away it goes, the man behind the bowler tearing after it, without the remotest chance of catching it, until the little dark speck disappears from view over the gentle slope on the northern boundary. Really now, anyone, "W. G." or "C. B." included, might be proud of that drive: and there are several more of the same kind to follow, though the foe discounts them by putting a man there. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Smith is not idle; he is not as fierce a driver as his companion, but his wrist play through the slips is delightfully clean and well timed.