Cinder Path Tales

MY FIRST, FOR MONEY 7 asked, " who can do the hundred in even time? " "There are very few good sound even- timers inall England," I answered, " and only- two among the amateurs, — one a Cockney, the other a Yorkshireman. The only Lan- cashireman who can do the hundred in ten seconds issitting withyou to-night, and little likely to see the OldCountry again for many a long year, if ever." At this, Hacking gave me a very compre­ hensive look, puffed a few times vigorously at his pipe, and said, "Young fellow, boast­ ing is a very bad habit, particularly on sport­ ing matters. I will bet you your board bill for a month against the pipe yousmoke, that you cannot show me better than eleven seconds to-morrowmorning." " Eleven seconds ! " said I, "a school-boy should do that." "Yes, eleven seconds," spoke up Hacking again. " You are not in condition and the track is slow, whichwill even matters up, and I'll give you the advantage of the odd frac­ tion." I accepted his proposition very promptly, though the pipe was the only friend I had, and a relic of old college dayswhich I should have hated to lose. While I was certainly not in training, poverty and worry had left