title: A Gentleman of Leisure
author:  P.G. Wodehouse 
description: Jimmy Pitt, rich, generous, popular American bachelor, has fallen in love with an unknown girl on a transatlantic liner. He bets a friend at the Strollers Club in New York that he can break into a house. Unfortunately he selects the house of Police Captain McEachern.
zlib_text: 
  
  
  
  
  
  ## The Gold Bat
  
  
    
  
  
  ### Pelham Grenville Wodehouse
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ## THE GOLD BAT
  
  
  ## by P. G. Wodehouse
  
  
  ## 1904
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  To
  
  
  THAT PRINCE OF SLACKERS,
  
  
  HERBERT WESTBROOK
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ###
  
  
  **I**
  
  
  
  
  
  ###
  
  
  **THE FIFTEENTH PLACE**
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  “Outside!”
  
  
  “Don’t be an idiot, man. I bagged it first.”
  
  
  “My dear chap, I’ve been waiting here a month.”
  
  
  “When you fellows have _quite_ finished rotting about in front of that bath
  don’t let _me_ detain you.”
  
  
  “Anybody seen that sponge?”
  
  
  “Well, look here”—­this in a tone of compromise—­“let’s toss for it.”
  
  
  “All right. Odd man out.”
  
  
  All of which, being interpreted, meant that the first match of the Easter term
  had just come to an end, and that those of the team who, being day boys,
  changed over at the pavilion, instead of performing the operation at leisure
  and in comfort, as did the members of houses, were discussing the vital
  question—­who was to have first bath?
  
  
  The Field Sports Committee at