“H’m!” muttered the Colonel, “not bad for you, Jim.”
“It seems to me,” said the Reverend Septimus, “that Bacon certainly won if the new hole was full size, despite its not having had the tin put into it.”
“Oh yes, it was full size,” interposed the Author.
“The old hole,” pursued the Parson, “was ground under repair, but if the new hole was not full size Shakespeare won.”
“Of course,” remarked the Author, “the tin is only mentioned to indicate the state of transition.”
“I don’t agree with Septimus,” said the M.P. “The rules do not provide for this contingency, and it must be settled under the equity clause of Rule 36. Regarding it in this way, it seems exactly six of one and half a dozen of the other, and the best—indeed, the only thing—to do is to regard the green as under repair, and the hole as temporarily closed. Shakespeare and Bacon should therefore call it a half and pass on. If they had seen the flag before playing their tee shots it might have made a difference.”
“I am in entire accord with you, William,” the Colonel declared.
“Ditto,” said the Author. “That was the ruling I had in my mind.”
“I think we ought to have another opinion,” persisted the Parson, “but for the present I desire to go with the majority.”
“Now let us hear the character of the problem that our friend the hon. member for North-East Fife has to present to this tribunal,” said the Colonel, with an expectant look to the quarter indicated.