e-Race; and an Ordinary on the 21st; a Cricket Match, if
possible, and any extra fun which the Visitors' own genius might strike
out on the following days.

The little bay of Glyndewi was not a bad place for a boat-race on a
small scale. The "terrace" commanded the whole of it; there were plenty
of herring-boats, about equally matched in sailing deficiencies, ready
and willing to "run"--_i.e._ creep--for the prizes; and an honourable
member of the Yacht Club, who for some years past, for reasons which it
was said his creditors could explain, had found it more convenient to
keep his season at B---- than at Cowes, always paid the stewards the
compliment of carrying off the "Ladies' Challenge Cup."

The two or three years' experience which the Glyndewi people had lately
gained of the nature and habits of "the Oxonians," made them an article
in great demand on these occasions. Mammas and daughters agreed in
looking upon us as undeniable partners in the ballroom, while the
sporting men booked us as safe for getting up a creditable four-oar,
with a strong probability of finding a light weight willing to risk his
neck and reputation at a hurdle-race. Certain it is, that from the time
the races began to be seriously talked about, we began to feel ourselves
invested with additional importance. "Tiger Jones" (who occupied a snug
little box about a mile out of Glyndewi, where he lived upon cheroots
and brandy and water) called, was exceedingly polite, apologized for not
inviting us to dinner--a thing he declared impossible in his
quarters--hoped we would call some day and take a lunch with him, spoke
with rapture of the capital crew which "the gentlemen who were studying
here last summer" had made up, and which ran away from all competitors,
and expressed a fervent hope that we should do likewise.

The sporting surgeon (of course he had called upon us long ago)
redoubled his attentions, begged that if any of us were cricketers we
would endeavour to aid him in getting up a "Glyndewi eleven" against the
"Strangers," and fixed himself upon me as an invaluable acquisition,
when he found I had actually once played in a match against Marylebone.
(I did not tell him that the total score of my innings was "_one_.")
Would I, then, at once take the drilling of as many recruits as he could
get together? And would Mr Willingham and Mr Gordon, who "used to play
at school," get up their practice again? (It wanted about a fortnight to
the race