d now for some reason I played really well.
I struck a little vein of brilliance. I was serving, and this time a
proportion of my serves went over the net instead of trying to get
through. The score went from fifteen all to forty-fifteen. Hope began
to surge through my veins. If I could keep this up, I might win yet.

The Doherty Slosh diminished my lead by fifteen. The Renshaw Slam
brought the score to Deuce. Then I got in a really fine serve, which
beat him. 'Vantage in. Another Slosh. Deuce. Another Slam. 'Vantage
out. It was an awesome moment. There is a tide in the affairs of men
which taken at the flood--I served. Fault. I served again--a beauty.
He returned it like a flash into the corner of the court. With a
supreme effort I got to it. We rallied. I was playing like a
professor. Then whizz!

The Doherty Slosh had beaten me on the post.

"Game _and_--" said Mr. Chase, twirling his racket into the air and
catching it by the handle. "Good game that last one."

I turned to see what Phyllis thought of it. At the eleventh hour I had
shown her of what stuff I was made.

She had disappeared.

"Looking for Miss Derrick?" said Chase, jumping the net, and joining
me in my court; "she's gone into the house."

"When did she go?"

"At the end of the fifth game," said Chase.

"Gone to dress for dinner, I suppose," he continued. "It must be
getting late. I think I ought to be going, too, if you don't mind.
The professor gets a little restive if I keep him waiting for his
daily bread. Great Scott, that watch can't be right! What do you make
it? Yes, so do I. I really think I must run. You won't mind? Good
night, then. See you to-morrow, I hope."

I walked slowly out across the fields. That same star, in which I had
confided on a former occasion, was at its post. It looked placid and
cheerful. _It_ never got beaten by six games to love under the eyes of
its particular lady star. _It_ was never cut out ignominiously by
infernally capable lieutenants in his Majesty's navy. No wonder it was
cheerful.

It must be pleasant to be a star.

A COUNCIL OF WAR

XIV

"The fact is," said Ukridge, "if things go on as they are now, old
horse, we shall be in the cart. This business wants bucking up. We
don't seem to be making headway. What we want is time. If only these
scoundrels of tradesmen would leave us alone for a spell, we might get
things going properly. But we're hampered and worried and rattled all
the time.