his ear. Then he laid on and made
his six inches eight, and his eight ten, and landed so much in front of
Dicky amid cheers which, if the clouds had been a little lower, would
have assuredly brought on a shower.

One score to us! I was sorry for Dicky, but it couldn't be helped.
"It's your fault," said he, "the brandy-balls did it. I took one, you
know; never mind. I say, look at your kids!"

The "kids" in question had finished the brandy-balls, and, resenting my
desertion, had decided to follow me into the open. As I had reached it
by swarming over the front of the stand and dropping a foot or so on to
the earth, they naturally selected that route as most suitable for them.
They had half accomplished it, to the extent of getting over the edge
of the low parapet and beginning to lower themselves on the outside,
when Mamie's frock caught in a nail, which suspended her between heaven
and earth, while Gladys, in her uncertainty whether to scream or assist,
had toppled to the ground all of a heap, and solved the difficulty that
way. Their screeches almost put our loyal cheers to the blush, and when
I rushed up to extricate the one and pick up the other, I was in the
centre of a hullaballoo which almost threatened to wreck the Sports.
How they quieted down I know not. I believe it was my announced
determination to walk them straight home which did it. At any rate, it
was clear to me there was no more rubbing down of Sharpe's calves for me
that day. I must remain, like Casabianca, on deck, even though it cost
us all the events of the day.

It was a thankless task. First of all there was the usual ceremony of
"cosseting" and drying tears. Then with a pin I had to mend the rent in
Mamie's frock. Then I had to kiss both of Gladys's elbows to make them
well, and finally I had to stand a fusillade of chaff and jeers from the
Philosophers, which made life a heavier burden that it was already.

At last, to my joy, the bell rang up for the High Jump under fifteen,
and public attention was diverted from my lamentable case.

As everybody who knew anything had anticipated, Langrish won this,
metaphorically speaking, "on his head." He knocked out the second man
(a Selkirker) at 4 feet and half an inch, and went on gamely 2 inches
higher, clearing the bar as prettily and daintily as Wales himself might
have done in the open event. It was not at all certain he could not
have gone higher against an opponent; but having no