addition to the jacket, an apron of leather, extending from the waist
almost to the knee, should be worn, covering both thighs, and saving
the wearer from dangerously low hits.

Some men wear a cricket pad on the right leg. This, I think, makes a man
slow on his feet, and is besides unnecessary. The calf of any one in
condition should be able to despise ash-plants; and, as I said before, a
bare leg makes you wonderfully quick with your low guards.

Stick play is a fine test of a man's condition. At first every hit
leaves an ugly mark, but as soon as the player gets really "fit," it
takes a very heavy blow indeed to bruise him. The sticks themselves
should be ash-plants, about forty inches in length and as thick as a
man's thumb, without knots and unpeeled.

If you want them to last any time it is as well to keep a trough of
water in the gymnasium, and leave your ash-plants to soak in it until
they are wanted. If you omit to do this, two eager players, in half an
hour's loose play, will destroy half a dozen sticks, which adds
considerably to the cost of the amusement.

The old English sword hilt was a mere cross-piece; but in play it has
always been customary to protect the fingers with a basket. This may be
either of wicker or of buffalo hide. The latter is infinitely the best,
as wearing much longer, affording a better protection to the fingers,
and not scraping the skin off the knuckles as the wicker-baskets too
often do. The basket has a hole on either side; one close to the rim,
and the other about a couple of inches from the edge. In putting your
basket on, put your stick through the former first, as otherwise you
will not be able to get a grip of your stick or any room for the play of
your wrist.

There is only one other thing necessary, and then you may consider
yourself safe as a schoolboy with the seat of his trousers full of the
dormitory towels: and that is either a stout elastic ring round your
wrist--a ring as thick as your thumb--or a good long gauntlet. I rather
recommend the ring as interfering less with the freedom of your hand,
and as protecting more effectually that weak spot in your wrist where
the big veins are. If a blow catches you squarely across this spot, when
it is unprotected, you may expect your right hand to lose its cunning
for a good many minutes. By the way, it is as well to see that the
collar of your jacket is sufficiently high and well supplied with
buttons, otherwise there is ap