I was given an alley all to myself.

The boys explained the game to me, and they also explained to me that there would be an hour's play, and that the player who scored the fewest ten-strikes in the hour would have to provide oysters and beer for the combination.
This disturbed me very seriously, since it promised me bankruptcy, and I was sorry that this detail had been overlooked in the beginning.

But my pride would not allow me to back out now, so I stayed in, and did what I could to look satisfied and glad I had come.

It is not likely that I looked as contented as I wanted to, but the others looked glad enough to make up for it, for they were quite unable to hide their evil joy.

They showed me how to stand, and how to stoop, and how to aim the ball, and how to let fly; and then the game began.