You see Mr. Direck had never seen Mr. Raeburn before, and knew nothing about his trousers.

They appeared to be coming down.

To begin with they had been rather loose over the feet and turned up, and as the game progressed, fold after fold of concertina-ed flannel gathered about his ankles.  Every now and then Mr. Raeburn would seize the opportunity of some respite from the game to turn up a fresh six inches or so of this accumulation.  Naturally Mr. Direck expected this policy to end unhappily.  He did not know that the flannel trousers of Mr. Raeburn were like a river, that they could come down forever and still remain inexhaustible....

He had visions of this scene of happy innocence being suddenly blasted by a monstrous disaster....

Apart from this worry Mr. Direck was as happy as any one there!

Perhaps these apprehensions affected his game.  At any rate he did nothing that pleased him in the second half, Cecily danced all over him and round and about him, and in the course of ten minutes her side had won the two remaining goals with a score of Five-One; and five goals is “game” by the standards of Matching’s Easy.

And then with the very slightest of delays these insatiable people picked up again.  Mr. Direck slipped away and returned in a white silk shirt, tennis trousers and a belt.  This time he and Cecily were on the same side, the Cecily-Teddy combination was broken, and he it seemed was to take the place of the redoubtable Teddy on the left wing with her.

This time the sides were better chosen and played a long, obstinate, even game.  One-One.  One-Two.  One-Three. (Half Time.) Two-Three.  Three all.  Four-Three.  Four all....

By this time Mr. Direck was beginning to master the simple strategy of the sport.  He was also beginning to master the fact that Cecily was the quickest, nimblest, most indefatigable player on the field.  He scouted for her and passed to her.  He developed tacit understandings with her.  Ideas of protecting her had gone to the four winds of Heaven.  Against them Teddy and a sidecar girl with Raeburn in support made a memorable struggle.  Teddy was as quick as a cat.  “Four-Three” looked like winning, but then Teddy and the tall Indian and Mrs. Teddy pulled square.  They almost repeated this feat and won, but Mr. Manning saved the situation with an immense oblique hit that sent the ball to Mr. Direck.  He ran with the ball up to Raeburn and then dodged and passed to Cecily.  There was a lively struggle to the left; the ball was hit out by Mr. Raeburn and thrown in by a young Britling; lost by the forwards and rescued by the padded lady.  Forward again!  This time will do it!

Cecily away to the left had worked round Mr. Raeburn once more.  Teddy, realising that things were serious, was tearing back to attack her.

Mr. Direck supported with silent intentness.  “Centre!” cried Mr. Britling.  “Cen-tre!”