very
ball that was bowled. They tried their catapult with single, double,
and even treble action. Sir Kennington did his best, flinging the
ball with his most tremendous impetus, and then just rolling it up
with what seemed to me the most provoking languor. It was all the
same to Jack. He had in truth got his "eye in," and as surely as the
ball came to him, it was sent away to some most distant part of the
ground. The Britishers were mad with dismay as Jack worked his way on
through the last hundred. It was piteous to see the exertions which
poor Mr Brittlereed made in running backwards and forwards across the
ground. They tried, I think, to bustle him by the rapid succession of
their bowling. But the only result was that the ball was sent still
further off when it reached Jack's wicket. At last, just as every
clock upon the ground struck six with that wonderful unanimity which
our clocks have attained since they were all regulated by wires
from Greenwich, Jack sent a ball flying up into the air, perfectly
regardless whether it might be caught or not, knowing well that the
one now needed would be scored before it could come down from the
heavens into the hands of any Englishman. It did come down, and was
caught by Stumps, but by that time Britannula had won her victory.
Jack's total score during that innings was 1275. I doubt whether in
the annals of cricket any record is made of a better innings than
that. Then it was that, with an absence of that presence of mind
which the President of a republic should always remember, I took off
my hat and flung it into the air.

Jack's triumph would have been complete, only that it was ludicrous
to those who could not but think, as I did, of the very little matter
as to which the contest had been raised;--just a game of cricket
which two sets of boys had been playing, and which should have been
regarded as no more than an amusement,--as a pastime, by which to
refresh themselves between their work. But they regarded it as though
a great national combat had been fought, and the Britannulists looked
upon themselves as though they had been victorious against England.
It was absurd to see Jack as he was carried back to Gladstonopolis as
the hero of the occasion, and to hear him, as he made his speeches
at the dinner which was given on the day, and at which he was called
upon to take the chair. I was glad to see, however, that he was not
quite so glib with his tongue as he had been when