"Innocent babe," said Masham, "how well he does it! But he doesn't seem to know the rule in these cases," added he, winking at the other two.

"What rule ?" I asked.
"Why, about hanging back.

Half a tumbler for every twenty seconds, isn't that it, Whipcord ?" "I thought it was a whole tumbler!" "Ah, wouldn't you take your time to decide, eh?
Come now," said Masham, taking out his watch, "we'll start now." "Hold hard," said Whipcord.

"Surely we are to have glasses too, to see if he guesses right." "Very well, fill all round.

Now, Batchelor." "I really can't do it," I said, faintly.