enchman wrong, we nodded to the driver's
laughter at his exquisite imitation.

He informed us that he had backed the Surrey Eleven last year, owing to
the report of a gentleman-bowler, who had done things in the way of
tumbling wickets to tickle the ears of cricketers. Gentlemen-batters were
common: gentlemen-bowlers were quite another dish. Saddlebank was the
gentleman's name.

'Old Nandrew Saddle?' Temple called to me, and we smiled at the
supposition of Saddlebank's fame, neither of us, from what we had known
of his bowling, doubting that he deserved it.

'Acquainted with him, gentlemen?' the driver inquired, touching his hat.
'Well, and I ask why don't more gentlemen take to cricket? 'stead of
horses all round the year! Now, there's my notion of happiness,' said the
man condemned to inactivity, in the perpetual act of motion; 'cricket in
cricket season! It comprises--count: lots o' running; and that's good:
just enough o' taking it easy; that's good: a appetite for your dinner,
and your ale or your Port, as may be the case; good, number three. Add on
a tired pipe after dark, and a sound sleep to follow, and you say good
morning to the doctor and the parson; for you're in health body and soul,
and ne'er a parson 'll make a better Christian of ye, that I'll swear.'

As if anxious not to pervert us, he concluded: 'That's what I think,
gentlemen.'

Temple and I talked of the ancient raptures of a first of May
cricketing-day on a sunny green meadow, with an ocean of a day before us,
and well-braced spirits for the match. I had the vision of a matronly,
but not much altered Janet, mounted on horseback, to witness the
performance of some favourite Eleven of youngsters with her connoisseur's
eye; and then the model of an English lady, wife, and mother, waving
adieu to the field and cantering home to entertain her husband's guests.
Her husband!

Temple was aware of my grief, but saw no remedy. I knew that in his heart
he thought me justly punished, though he loved me.

We had a long sitting with Captain Welsh, whom I found immoveable, as I
expected I should. His men, he said, had confessed their sin similarly to
the crab in a hole, with one claw out, as the way of sinners was. He
blamed himself mainly. 'Where you have accidents, Mr. Richmond, you have
faults; and where you have faults aboard a ship you may trace a line to
the captain. I should have treated my ship's crew like my conscience, and
gone through them nigh