ibility," practising at the nets, to wit, with
only the ground-bowler and a few scouts fielding, they may punish 'em
properly.

_First A.B._ Ah, well, one must allow that the Champion plays the game
right away all the time.

_Second A B._ Yea. Age cannot wither him, nor custom stale his
infinite variety. Wonderful, all the same, what perversely bad hits
he will persist in making, at times. Does things now and again you'd
think a school-girl with a bat would be ashamed of.

_First A.B._ Ah, by the way, what do you think of these here
new-fangled Lady-Cricketers?

_Second A.B._ (_significantly_). Ask the Old 'Un what _he_ thinks of
'em.

_First A.B._ Ah! can't abide 'em, can he? And yet he likes the Ladies
to look on and applaud, and even to field for him at times.

_Second A.B._ Yes; the Ladies have been good friends of his, and now
he'd bar them from the legitimate game. I fancy it's put their backs
up a bit, eh?

_First A.B._ You bet! And it _do_ seem ray-ther ongrateful like, don't
it now? Though as fur as that goes _I_ don't believe Cricket's a game
for the petticoats.

_Second A.B._ Nor me neither. But bless yer they gets their foot in
in everything now; tennis, and golf, and rowing and cetrer. And if you
let 'em in at all, for your own pleasure, I don't quite see how you're
going to draw the line arbitrary like just where it suits _you_, as
the Grand Old Slogger seems to fancy.

_First A.B._ No; and, if you ask me, I say they won't stand it, even
from _him._ "No," says they, "fair's fair," they says. "All very well
to treat us like volunteer scouts at a country game, or at the nets,
returning the balls whilst you slog and show off. But when we want
to put on the gloves and pads, and take a hand at the bat in a
businesslike way, you boggle, and hint that it's degrading, unsexing,
and all that stuff."

_Second A.B._ Ah, _that_ won't wash. If it unsexes 'em to bat, it
unsexes 'em to scout. And if the old cricketing gang didn't want
the Ladies between wickets, why, they shouldn't have let em into the
field, _I_ say. Strikes me Lady CARLISLE'll show 'em a thing or two.
That "operative mandatory resolution" of hers means mischief--_after_
the next big match anyhow. "Ladies wait, and wait a bit more, wait
in truth till the day after to-morrow." Yes; but they won't wait for
ever.

_First A.B._ Not they. Why, look yonder! There's one of 'em in full
fig. Lady-Cricketer from cap to shoes--short skirt, knickers