When he heard the ball come rollin' down the tin, he would "muff" it
with his wash-bord. Then the excitement would begin. The "striker" would
start off and go feelin' about the "field" for the base, while the
"outs" got down onto their bands and knees and went huntin' for the
ball.

Sometimes a "fielder," whose sense of feelin' wasen't very acute, got
hold of a cobble stun, then he would waddle, and grope his way about, to
find the base. But I tell you it was soothin' fun for the old men.

After lookin' 20 minuts for a ball, then findin' the base before the
batter did, who just as like as not had strayed out into another lot, it
made the old fellers laff.

Sometimes two players would run into each other and go tumblin' over
together. Then the "Umpire" would go and get them onto their pins agin,
and give 'em a fresh start.

On each side of this interestin' match game, was two old men who went on
crutches.

It was agreed, as these men coulden't run the bases, that a man be
blindfolded and wheel these aged cripples about the bases in a
wheel-barrer.

The minnit these old chaps would "strike," they dropped their crutches,
and the umpire would dump them into the _vehicle,_ and away went mister
striker.