136 DAYS STOLEN FOR SPORT 



state and the horrors of our journey is so great 

 that it is hard to realise that it is still Bank 

 Holiday and only eleven hours since we took our 

 seats at Paddington. 



" Unfortunately for us, Cockneys innumerable had 

 chosen to spend their holiday in the west and to 

 travel by the same train, and to travel, too, with 

 as much pleasure as possible both for themselves 

 and those who might have the gift to appreciate 

 their music and fun. 



" Those who came to fill our compartment were 

 eight undoubted Cockneys who displayed an earnest 

 determination to be gay for, instead of giving signs 

 of a desire to make themselves snug, they took off 

 their coats, improvised a table and played some 

 game of cards that permitted laughter and uproar 

 unlimited, which continued throughout the night 

 with only such breaks as stoppages at stations, 

 where tired porters met with a deal of chaff from 

 the would-be funny men. 



"The particularly funny individual of our com- 

 partment dropped his hand of cards at times, face 

 upwards, to be at the carriage window whence he 

 addressed whoever chanced to be standing near. 



"At Exeter he whistled and beckoned to a porter 

 who, on drawing near, was greeted with : 



" * Moy eye, you're a good-looking chap by 

 candleloight. Ow's yer mother ? ' 



" ' Her be all right, I hope, zur.' 



"''Ope be blowed. Go 'ome and ask 'er.' 



"He brought himself back to his cards with a 

 smirk of triumph, and his satisfaction evidently 

 increased when one of the players said to his 

 neighbour : 



