"No."
"Then what on earth——"
"Look here; you've tried 'em with people who can bowl, and they've made two hundred and twenty in an hour and a half; somebody who can't bowl will be a little change for them. That's one reason. The second is that we shall all have a bit of a rest while I'm taking my things off. The third is that I bet Myra a shilling——"
Archie knelt down, and began to unbuckle my pads. "I'll 'keep' myself," he said. "Are you fast or slow?"
"I haven't the faintest idea. Just as it occurs to me at the moment, I expect."
"Well, you're quite right; you can't be worse than some of us. Will you have a few balls down first?"
"No, thanks; I should like to come as a surprise to them."
"Well, pitch 'em up anyhow."
"I shall probably vary my length—if possible without any alteration of action."
I am now approaching the incredible. The gentle reader, however, must not be nasty about it; he should at least pretend to believe, and his best way of doing this is to listen very silently to what follows. When he has heard my explanation I shall assume that he understands.