uneducated. Sarah Eliza professed a preference
for High, Low, Jack, and the Game; any saphead could play that. She
wasn't a saphead herself, but there might be some about. Maguffin
regretted that in the Baktis pussuasion cards were not allowed; and the
Hill girls had distinctly promised their mother to play no games of
chance. As, however, none of the parties owned a pack of cards, nor knew
where to find one, further controversy on the subject was useless.
Tryphosa, looking intelligent, left the room, and speedily returned with
a little cardboard box in her hand, labelled Countries, Cities,
Mountains, and Rivers, with which Timotheus had once presented her. She
said it was an improving game, and that all could play it. The shuffling
and dealing, of course, presented an almost unavoidable chance element,
but, apart from that, the game was a matter of science, of geographical
knowledge. Now the Hill girls were educated, as Mr. Rigby said; and he,
having travelled far as a soldier, was not deficient in geographical
lore; but what about the other three?

"Oh!" ejaculated Miss Newcome, "at them there keerds, I guess we jist
are sapheads. Ain't that so, Ben?"

Ben said "I guaiss"; and Mr. Maguffin added: "joggrify, entermoligy,
swinetax, and paucity was teached me, but I done clar forgit how they
run, it's so long sence."

It was, therefore, agreed to play a triangular game, the pair having the
most books to be winners, and have the right to shuffle and deal for the
following trial of skill. The contending pairs were the pensioner and
Serlizer, Ben and Tryphosa, Maguffin and Tryphena, partners were allowed
to help each other. While the British Islands, Turkey, Russia, and India
were being played, Rigby and Miss Newcome were triumphant, but when it
came to any other part of the world, especially to America, with the
exception of Canada, where Serlizer scored her one victory, that pair
was helpless. Maguffin acquired a book by his own unaided wisdom, that
of the Southern United States; otherwise Tryphena inspired him. Ben had
an unavailing contest with Miss Newcome over Canada, and saw her make up
the book and slam it on the table with mingled feelings of pride in her,
and mortification for his own want of success. But, as he said, Tryphosa
was "a daisy and parlyzed the hull gang." Laurel after laurel she took
from the brow of the travelled pensioner; she swooped down upon Tryphena
and Maguffin, and robbed them of books whol