Any one who is a firstrate rider and is quick with his hands can learn to play polo.

The stiffest of arms can be limbered and the most recalcitrant wrist taught to turn nimbly in its socket; but the essential condition is, that the player should know how to ride.

This being established, there is no reason why anybody who likes should not play the game, if he will only use a cetrain amount of caution, and avoid braining the other players and injuring the ponies by too wild a use of his mallet.

Presently it was found that all who were to play had arrived--eight of us all told.

Kildare had arranged the sides and had brought the other men necessary to make the number complete, so we mounted and took up our positions on the ground.