Barely were the words out of her mouth when Inman's score was increased by a no-ball. A miss-cue they call it technically.
"Three all," said Myra. "This is awfully exciting. First one is ahead, and then the other."
"By the way, how many up are we playing?"
"Five, aren't you?" said Myra.
This roused Thomas. He had played himself in, and now proceeded to make a pretty break of seventeen. I followed. There was a collision off the middle pocket between spot and red, and both went down. Then plain was unintentionally sunk as the result of a cannon shot, and spot and red sailed into harbour. With Thomas's miss I scored eleven. Unfortunately, off my next stroke, Thomas again went down.
"Billiards," he said.
"You don't think I want to put the rotten thing down, do you? It's such a blessed rabbit. Directly it sees a hole anywhere it makes for it. Hallo, six more. I shall now give what they call a miss in baulk."
"Oh, good miss," cried Myra, as spot rested over the middle pocket.
"That was a googly. You both thought it would break the other way."
The game went on slowly. When Thomas was ninety and I was ninety-nine, there was a confused noise without, and Archie and Miss Blair burst into the room. At least only Archie actually burst; Miss Blair entered sedately.