Illustration: "THERE WAS A GREAT ARGUMENT."]

We made fifty-eight for four wickets, the Model Man being the next to
succumb. He had performed well, in something approaching style, for
thirty runs. After him came the Treasure. He played forward very tamely
at everything, until a ball suddenly got up and skinned two of his
knuckles. Then he grew excited, and began hitting very hard, and making
runs at a tremendous pace.

Meanwhile the Doctor, finding his wicket still intact, suddenly became
enthusiastic and took extraordinary interest in his innings. Between
each ball he marched about the pitch and grubbed up tufts of grass and
threw away stones, and patted the different elevations and acclivities
with his bat. But he might just as well have patted the Alps, or any
other mountain range. He hit a fast ball straight up into the air, when
only five or six runs were wanted to win the match. It was one of those
awkward, lofty hits that half the field can get to, if they only look
alive. In this case, four negroes were all waiting to secure him, so the
Doctor escaped again. Then, evidently under the impression that he bore
a charmed life, he began taking great liberties, and pulling straight
balls and strolling about out of his ground, and so forth. Finally, amid
some intricate manoeuvres, he jumped on to his own wicket, and retired
well pleased with his performance. The Treasure went on hitting and
being hit for a few minutes longer; then he made the winning stroke, and
the contest came to a happy conclusion.

With one or two exceptions, everybody had much enjoyed the match; and
that night, I recollect, we sat and smoked late on the deck of the
"Rhine," fought our battle once more, explained our theories of cricket
to one another, and agreed that it was a great and grand amusement.

"But," said the Fourth Officer, "it is not a pastime in which your
nigger will ever excel. He cannot learn the rules, let alone play the
game."

"No," I answered, "he does not excel at it, because, 'unstable as
water,' the Ethiopian will never excel at anything; but he does quite as
well as one might have expected, and, if he had a better ground, might
play a better game."

Certainly that cricket ground requires attention. To level it, though
doubtless an engineering feat, should not be impossible. If an
earthquake could be arranged, it might leave a surface for steam rollers
to begin working upon; but no mere patching or tinkering will answe