CHAPTER IX.

RAINY-DAY DIVERSIONS.

The equinoctial storm—An argument postponed—Distribution of work—An afternoon of leisure—Nothing to do—Andrew Airpump and his comrades—An unceremonious check—Alliteration—Univocalic verses—Task verses—Thread-paper poetry—How to write it—A specimen—Cento verses—Pith-tumblers—The Grand Mufti—The sleepy Brahmin—Balancing a coin on a needle—The trick explained—Ronald’s experiment—The Moslem oracle—Its five responses—Kate’s cento poem—How she found the lines—Contents of the Wreath—Arithmetical puzzles and answers, 169