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diff --git a/old/64435-0.txt b/old/64435-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 7047405..0000000 --- a/old/64435-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,7862 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of First Base Faulkner, by Christy Mathewson - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: First Base Faulkner - -Author: Christy Mathewson - -Illustrator: Charles M. Relyea - -Release Date: January 31, 2021 [eBook #64435] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: Donald Cummings and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team - at https://www.pgdp.net - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FIRST BASE FAULKNER *** - - - - - FIRST BASE FAULKNER - - - - -[Illustration: Sensing a mix-up, Joe held the ball and raced for second -base] - - - - - First Base Faulkner - - BY - CHRISTY MATHEWSON - - AUTHOR OF - CATCHER CRAIG, - PITCHER POLLOCK, Etc. - - - ILLUSTRATED BY - CHARLES M. RELYEA - - - [Illustration] - - - GROSSET & DUNLAP - PUBLISHERS NEW YORK - - - - - Copyright, 1916, by - DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY, Inc. - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER PAGE - I THE NEW HOME 3 - II JOE LOOKS FOR WORK 16 - III AUNT SARAH IS SURPRISED 28 - IV JOE FINDS A FRIEND 45 - V HOCKEY AND JUST TALK 59 - VI JOE HAS AN IDEA 74 - VII PARTNERS 86 - VIII MR. CHESTER YOUNG 102 - IX IN THE BASEBALL CAGE 117 - X STRIKING A BALANCE 130 - XI HANDSOME FRANK 138 - XII OUTDOOR PRACTICE 151 - XIII THE FIRST GAME 161 - XIV A TRY-OUT AT FIRST 178 - XV BUSTER DROPS OUT 190 - XVI FOLEY IS WORRIED 208 - XVII IN THE TWELFTH INNING 221 - XVIII EMPTY BOXES 233 - XIX JOE ACCEPTS A LOAN 243 - XX PURSUIT 258 - XXI ON THE WEST-BOUND 265 - XXII THE AMATEUR DETECTIVE 278 - XXIII “BATTER UP!” 296 - XXIV BUNCHED HITS 307 - XXV A DOUBLE UNASSISTED 317 - - - - -ILLUSTRATIONS - - - Sensing a mix-up, Joe held the ball and raced for second - base (Page 327) _Frontispiece_ - - FACING - PAGE - - Joe found himself still in the company of Strobe 54 - - “He thinks he’s a pretty swell little dresser, Foley does” 214 - - “_What!_” squealed Young. “You ain’t a――a――――” 290 - - - - -FIRST BASE FAULKNER - - - - -CHAPTER I - -THE NEW HOME - - -“Lucky” Faulkner arrived in Amesville, Ohio, shortly before seven -o’clock of a cold morning in the first week of January. He wasn’t known -as “Lucky” then, and he certainly didn’t look especially fortunate as -he stepped from train to platform and blinked drowsily at this first -sight of the strange city that was to be his new home. He had travelled -nearly six hours in a day-coach, sleeping fitfully with his head on the -arm of the car seat, and his clothes were creased, his hair rumpled -and his face tired and pale under its coating of train dust. He wore a -good-looking gray ulster and a cap to match, and carried a big valise -whose sides bulged tremendously and which bore the inscription “J. C. -F.” in neat old English characters. - -On the platform he set the bag down, took a trunk-check from a pigskin -purse and gazed inquiringly about him. The passengers who had left the -warmth of the cars had hurried to the restaurant to make the most of -the ten minutes allowed them for breakfast, and it was much too early -in the day for loiterers. It was a boy of about his own age――which was -sixteen――who, stopped in his mad career of dragging a mail-sack along -the platform, supplied information. - -“Huh? Expressman? Sure! Around back. Ask for Gus Tenney.” - -Gus, a small, crabbed-looking negro, was loading a huge sample-trunk -into a ramshackle dray when discovered. - -“I’ve got a trunk on this train,” said the new arrival. “Will you take -it to Miss Teele’s, on Brewer Street, please? And how much will it be?” - -“Brewer Street? What’s the number, Boss?” - -“One-twenty-eight.” - -“Fifty cents, Boss.” - -“I’ll give you a quarter. Can you get it there by eight?” - -“I can’t tote no trunk ’way up to Brewer Street for no quarter, Boss. -You’ll have to get someone else to do it.” - -“All right. Is there anyone else around?” - -“Don’t see anyone, Boss. Reckon I’se the only one here.” - -“Will you take my trunk up there first and let me ride along with you?” - -“I got to deliver this to the Commercial House first, Boss.” - -“How far is that from Brewer Street?” - -“’Most a mile.” - -“And Brewer Street’s near the City Hall, isn’t it?” - -“Well, it ain’t so mighty far.” - -“And the Commercial House is near the City Hall, too, isn’t it?” - -“Look here, Boss,” said the negro peevishly, “maybe you-all knows my -business better’n I do and maybe you don’t. I got to deliver this trunk -right away ’cause the gentleman’s waitin’ for it.” - -“All right. Don’t let me keep you, then.” - -“Well, you give me that check an’ I’ll get your trunk up just as soon -as I can, Boss.” - -“No, I’ll wait for someone else. It isn’t worth more than a quarter.” - -The negro hesitated and muttered as he gave the sample-trunk a final -shove. Then: “All right, Boss, I’ll do it. Seems like folks nowadays -don’t want anyone to make a livin’, I ’clare to goodness it does!” - -“Will you get it there by eight?” - -“I’ll get it there in half an hour, Boss, if that old mare of mine -keeps on her feet. It’s powerful mean goin’ today, with so much snow.” - -The boy yielded his check, saw his trunk put on the dray, and, after -getting directions from the negro, trudged across Railroad Avenue and -turned eastward past the row of cheap stores and tenement houses that -faced the tracks. There had been a good deal of snow since Christmas -and it was still piled high between sidewalk and street. Overhead a -gray morning sky threatened more, and there was a nip in the air that -made the boy set his bag down before he had traversed a block and slip -on a pair of woollen gloves. Behind him a door opened and an appealing -odour of coffee and cooking was wafted out to him. As he took up his -valise again he looked wistfully through the frost-framed window of -the little eating-house and mentally counted up his change. Evidently -the result prohibited refreshment, for he went on, the heavy valise -dragging and bumping as he walked, and at last turned the corner and -struck northward. Here, after a short distance, the buildings became -comfortable homes, many of them surrounded by grounds of some extent. -From chimneys the gray smoke was ascending in the frosty air and now -and then the tantalising vision of a breakfast table met his sight. The -sidewalks hereabouts had been cleaned of snow and walking was easier, -something the boy was heartily glad of since that valise was gaining -in weight at every step. - -It was not, he was thinking as he trudged along, a very inspiriting -morning on which to arrive in a strange place. Perhaps if the sun had -been shining Amesville would have seemed less gloomy and inhospitable -to him, but as it was he found nothing to like about the city. On the -contrary, he was convinced that it was far inferior in every way to -Akron and that he would never care for it, no matter how long he stayed -there. However, he forgot to take into consideration the fact that he -was tired and hungry and cold, neglected to realise that almost any -city, approached from its least attractive quarter and viewed in the -dim light of a cloudy Winter morning, looks far from its best. - -He set his valise down at a corner, rubbed his chilled fingers, and -went on once more with his burden in the other hand. He was wondering -now what Aunt Sarah would prove to be like. He had never seen her -to remember her, although his mother had tried to recall to his -recollection an occasion when Aunt Sarah had visited them in Akron. But -that had been when he was only four or five years old and his memory -failed him. Aunt Sarah was not a real, bona-fide aunt, for she was -his mother’s half-sister. But she was the closest relative there was -and when it had become necessary to break up the home in Akron it was -Aunt Sarah who had written and offered to take them in. There would be -practically no money left after his father’s affairs had been settled -up and all the bills paid, and Mrs. Faulkner had been very glad to -accept Aunt Sarah’s hospitality for her son. She herself had obtained, -through the influence of a friend of her husband’s, the position of -housekeeper in a hotel in Columbus. Since her son could not be with her -she had decreed that he was to go to Amesville, finish his schooling -there, and remain with Aunt Sarah until enough money had been saved -to allow of the establishment of a new home. He had pleaded hard to -be allowed to leave high school and find work in Columbus, but Mrs. -Faulkner wouldn’t hear of it. - -“You may not realise it now, dear,” she had said, “but an education -is something you must have if you are ever to amount to anything. And -there’s just one time to get it, and that’s now. If you study hard -you’ll be through high school next year. You’ll be eighteen, and that’s -quite young enough to start earning a living. Meanwhile Aunt Sarah will -give you a good home, dear. I shall pay her a little, as much as I can -afford, so you needn’t feel that you are accepting charity. You must -try to be nice to her, too. She――she doesn’t always show her best side, -unless she’s changed since I saw her last, but she’s as good as gold, -for all her sharp tongue. And I want you to try and remember that, -dear.” - -He recalled the words now and tried to banish the mental picture of -Aunt Sarah which he had unconsciously drawn: a tall, thin, elderly -maiden lady with sharp features and a sharper tongue, dressed in a -gingham gown of no particular colour and wearing a shawl over her -shoulders. But the preconceived vision wouldn’t be dispelled, and -consequently, when a few minutes later, the door of the little yellow -house with chocolate-coloured trimmings opened to his ring and Aunt -Sarah confronted him, he was not a bit surprised. For she was, with the -exception of gingham dress and shawl, so much like what he had imagined -that it was quite as if he had known her for a long time. - -“This is Joseph?” she asked as he took off his cap on the threshold. -“You’re late. I’ve been expecting you for a quarter of an hour and -breakfast is stone-cold likely. Come in, please, and don’t keep the -door open. Take your bag right upstairs. It’s the first room to the -left. When you’ve washed, and dear knows you need it, come right down -again. I dislike very much having folks late to their meals.” - -During this announcement, uttered levelly in a sharp voice, she shook -hands rather limply, closed the door, pushed the rug straight again -with the toe of a sensible boot and smoothed the front of her black -merino gown. That black gown was the only thing that didn’t fit in -with his picture of her and he rather resented it as, tugging his bag -behind him, he went up the narrow, squeaky staircase. That colourless -gingham he had mentally attired her in would, he thought, have been -less depressing than the black merino. - -The room in which he found himself was small, but, in spite of the -cheerless weather outside, bright and homelike. There were some -surprisingly gay cretonne curtains at the two windows, the paper -was blue-and-white in a neat pattern, the brass knobs of the single -bed shone like globes of gold, and Joe noted with approval that the -gaslight was convenient to the old-fashioned mahogany, drop-front -desk. On the table at the head of the bed were three books, disputing -the small surface with a candlestick and a match-safe, and while he -hurriedly prepared for breakfast he stole time to examine the titles. -“Every Boy’s Handy Book,” he read, “Self-Help,” “Leather Stocking -Tales.” He smiled as he turned away. On the walnut bureau――it had a -marble slab and an oval mirror and a lidded box at each side――was a -Bible. He made a quick toilet and returned downstairs. A pleasant -fragrance of coffee guided him to the dining-room. Aunt Sarah was -already in place and a large black cat was asleep on a chair between -the windows. - -“That will be your place,” said Miss Teele, indicating a chair across -the table with a nod. “Do you eat oatmeal?” - -“Yes, ma’am, thanks,” replied Joe as he settled himself and opened -his napkin. Aunt Sarah helped him and passed the dish. A glass -percolator was bubbling at her elbow and, after serving the oatmeal, -she extinguished the alcohol flame underneath and poured a generous and -fragrant cup of coffee. Joe ate hungrily and finished his oatmeal in a -trice. He would have liked more, but none was offered. Then an elderly, -stoop-shouldered woman entered with a quick, curious glance at Joe from -a pair of faded eyes and deposited a platter of bacon and eggs before -her mistress. - -“This is Mildred Faulkner’s boy, Amanda,” announced Miss Teele. “You -may hand the coffee, please.” - -Amanda nodded silently in reply to Joe’s murmured “How do you do?” and -quickly departed, to return a moment later with a toast-rack. Joe had -never seen toast served that way before and was viewing it interestedly -when Aunt Sarah, having served him with a generous helping of bacon and -a fried egg, and tasted her coffee, remarked: - -“You’ll find the food here plain but wholesome, Joseph. And I guess -you’ll always get enough. If you don’t I want you to tell me. I don’t -hold with skimping on food. How’s your mother?” - -“Quite well, thank you. She goes to Columbus today.” - -Aunt Sarah sniffed. “Going to be a housekeeper at a hotel, she wrote -me. A nice occupation, I must say, for a Teele!” - -“There didn’t seem to be much else,” replied Joe. - -“She might have come to me. I offered her a home. But she always was -dreadfully set and independent. Well, I hope she don’t regret it. How -was it your father didn’t leave anything when he died?” - -“I don’t know, Aunt Sarah. We always thought there was plenty of money -before. But there were a good many bills, and the paper hadn’t been -paying very well for a year or two, and so――――” - -“I told your mother when she was so set on marrying John Faulkner that -he’d never be able to provide for her. I’m not surprised.” - -“But he did provide for my mother,” replied Joe indignantly. “We always -had everything we wanted.” - -“You haven’t got much now, have you? Giving your folks all they want -while you’re alive and leaving them without a cent when you die isn’t -exactly my idea of providing.” Aunt Sarah sniffed again. “Not that I -had anything against your father, though. I always liked him. What I -saw of him, that is, which wasn’t much. He just wasn’t practical. Are -you like him?” - -“Folks say I look like him,” said Joe coldly. He felt resentful of Aunt -Sarah’s criticism. - -“So you do, but I guess you’ve got more spunk than he ever had. You’ll -need it. When do you propose to start in school?” - -“As soon as I can. I thought I’d go and see the principal this morning.” - -“The sooner the better, I guess. Idleness never gets a body anywhere. -Will you have another egg?” - -“Yes, please.” - -“I’m glad you haven’t got a finicky appetite.” She added bacon to the -egg and pushed the toast-rack nearer. “Will you have another cup of -coffee?” Joe would and said so. It seemed to him that he would never -get enough to eat, which, considering that he hadn’t had anything since -six o’clock the night before wasn’t surprising. Aunt Sarah nibbled at a -piece of toast and sipped her coffee and was silent. Joe felt that he -ought to attempt conversation and presently said: - -“You have a very pleasant home, Aunt Sarah.” - -“I’m not complaining any,” was the brief response. - -A minute later he happened to look up and caught her gaze. He may -have been mistaken, but it seemed to him that she was regarding -his performance with knife and fork quite approvingly. When he had -finished, Aunt Sarah said grace, which to Joe’s thinking was turning -things around, and arose. - -“I suppose you brought a trunk with you?” she questioned. - -“Yes, ma’am, and it ought to be here. The expressman said he would get -it around by eight.” - -“Like as not it was Gus Tenney,” said Aunt Sarah. “If it was it won’t -get here until afternoon, I guess. He’s the most worthless, shiftless -negro in town.” But Aunt Sarah, for once, did the coloured gentleman -an injustice, for even as she finished he backed his team up to the -sidewalk. “You show him where to put it,” she instructed, “and tell him -to be careful and not bump the walls. And don’t pay him a cent more -than a quarter of a dollar, Joseph. Have you got any money?” - -“Yes, ma’am, thanks.” - -Aunt Sarah, who had begun to look around in a mildly distracted way for -her purse, stopped and said “Hmph!” Then, “Well, don’t you give him -more than a quarter, now!” - -Five minutes later Joe was unpacking his belongings and whistling quite -merrily. After all, things weren’t so bad, he reflected. Aunt Sarah was -cross-grained beyond a doubt, but she gave a fellow plenty to eat! - -“And good eats, too!” he murmured contentedly. - - - - -CHAPTER II - -JOE LOOKS FOR WORK - - -“Joseph Faulkner?” inquired Mr. Dennison, the high school principal. - -“Yes, sir.” - -“I’m very glad to meet you, Faulkner.” They shook hands and Mr. -Dennison pulled a chair nearer the big, broad-topped desk. “Sit down, -please. You wrote me a week or so ago from Akron, I believe, and -enclosed a letter from your principal, Mr. Senter.” - -“Yes, sir.” - -“I have it here, I think.” Mr. Dennison searched for a moment in -the file at his elbow and drew forth the two communications pinned -together. He read Mr. Senter’s letter again and nodded. - -“I see,” he murmured. “Now tell me something about yourself, my boy. -Your father has died recently?” - -“Yes, sir, in November.” - -“I’m very sorry. I think now I recall reading of his death in the -paper. He was the editor of the _Enterprise_, I believe?” - -“Yes, sir. He owned the paper, too. That is, most of it.” - -“Your mother is alive, I trust?” - -“Yes, sir.” - -“And you have brothers and sisters?” - -“No, sir; there’s only me.” - -“I see. I rather expected your mother would call with you, Faulkner. -It’s the customary thing. We rather like to meet the pupils’ parents -and get in touch with them, so to speak. Possibly your mother, however, -was not feeling well enough to accompany you this morning.” - -“She isn’t here, sir. She’s in Columbus. You see, father didn’t leave -much money and so she――she took a position in Columbus and sent me here -to live with an aunt, a Miss Teele, on Brewer Street. Mother wants -me to finish high school. I thought I’d ought to go to work, but she -wouldn’t let me.” - -“Dear, dear!” said Mr. Dennison sympathetically. “Most unfortunate! -Well, I think your mother is quite right, my boy. You’ll be better -fitted to face the――er――the responsibilities of life if you have -supplied yourself with an education. Hm! Yes. Now, let me see. I gather -from what your former principal writes that you have been a very -steady, hard-working student. You like to study and learn, Faulkner?” - -“Yes, sir. That is, I like to study some things. And, of course, I want -to learn. Mr. Senter said he thought there wouldn’t be any trouble -about my getting into the junior class here, sir. I’ve only missed -about seven weeks.” - -“I see.” Mr. Dennison thoughtfully folded the letters in his hands, -observing Joe the while. What he saw prepossessed him in the boy’s -favour. Joe was large for his age, sturdy without being heavy, and -had the healthful colouring and clear eyes of a youth who had divided -his time fairly between indoors and out. You wouldn’t have called him -handsome, perhaps, for his nose wasn’t at all classic, being rather of -the tip-tilted variety, and his chin was a bit too square to meet the -Greek standard of beauty. Perhaps it was the chin that had suggested -spunk to Aunt Sarah. Anyhow, it suggested it to Mr. Dennison. In fact, -the whole face spoke of eager courage, and the gray eyes looked out -with a level directness that proclaimed honesty. For the rest, he had -light-brown hair, so light that one hesitated at calling it brown, but -had to for want of a better description, a forehead that matched the -chin in breadth and gave the face a square look, and a mouth that, no -matter how serious the rest of the countenance was, seemed on the point -of breaking into a smile. On the whole, summed up the principal, a -healthy, honest, capable appearing boy, and one likely to be heard from. - -“Yes,” said Mr. Dennison after a moment’s silence, “yes, I think the -junior class is where you belong. At least, we’ll try you there. I -don’t want to set you back unless it’s quite necessary. You may have to -work hard for a month or so to catch up, but I think you can do it. How -old are you, Faulkner?” - -“Sixteen, sir, on the fourth of last August.” Other questions were -asked and answered and the answers were entered on a filing card. Then: - -“Can you start in tomorrow?” asked the principal. - -“Yes, sir, I’d like to.” - -“Very well. Then in the morning report in Room D to Mr. Whalen. School -takes in at eight-thirty. Here is a list of books and materials you’ll -need, many of which you doubtless have already. Any books or stationery -you need can be obtained at the outer office. Books may be purchased -outright or rented, as you please. That’s all, I think. I hope you’ll -like us here, Faulkner. You must get acquainted with the other boys, -you know, and then you’ll feel more at home. Come and see me in a day -or two and tell me how you are getting on. And if there’s anything you -want to know or if there’s any help you need don’t hesitate to apply to -Mr. Jonson, my assistant, or to me.” Mr. Dennison shook hands again and -Joe, armed with the printed list of books and materials, expressed his -thanks and passed out into the corridor. A gong had sounded a moment -before and the stairways and halls were thronged with students. No one, -however, paid any attention to Joe and he left the big building and -walked across the town to Main Street and turned southward, his eyes -busy as he went. - -The sky was still gray and Main Street was ankle-deep in yellow-brown -slush, and Amesville did not, perhaps, look its best even yet. But the -buildings, if not so fine as those of Akron, were solid and substantial -for the most part, and the stores presented enticing windows and -leavened the grayness with colour and brightness. It seemed, he -decided, a busy, bustling little city――he had already ascertained that -it boasted a population of twenty-five thousand and the honor of being -the county seat――and it didn’t require any great effort of imagination -to fancy himself back in Akron. - -Joe not only observed but he studied, and for a reason. To let you into -a secret which he had so far confided to no one, Joe had no intention -of allowing his mother to pay Aunt Sarah for his board and lodging for -very long. He meant to find some sort of work that he could perform -before and after school hours. What it was to be he did not yet know, -although there was one job he expected to be able to secure if nothing -more promising offered. He was fairly certain, although his mother -had not taken him into her confidence to that extent, that hotel -housekeepers did not receive munificent wages, and he realised that his -mother, used to having practically every comfort money could buy, would -find it hard enough to get on without having to send a part of her -monthly salary to Aunt Sarah. - -The job that he felt pretty certain of obtaining was that of delivering -newspapers. Joe was well enough acquainted with the newspaper business -to know that it was always difficult for circulation managers to find -boys enough to keep the routes covered. He had had some experience -of the kind, for when he was in grammar school he had delivered the -_Enterprise_ all one Summer and part of a Winter, until, in fact, -a chronic condition of wet feet caused his mother to interfere. His -father had not at any time approved of the proceeding, for Mr. Faulkner -had been a man of position in Akron and it had seemed to him that in -carrying a newspaper route Joe was performing labor beneath him and, -perhaps, casting aspersions on the financial and social standing of -Mr. John Faulkner. Joe had had to beg long for permission and his -father had agreed with ill-grace. The fun had soon worn off, but Joe -had kept on with the work long after his chum, who had embarked in -the enterprise with him, had given up. It didn’t bring in much money, -and Joe didn’t need what it did bring, since his father was lavishly -generous in the matter of pocket-money. It was principally the fact -that his father had predicted that he would soon tire of it that kept -him doggedly at it when the cold weather came. Getting up before light -and tramping through snow and slush to toss twisted-up papers into -doorways soon became the veriest drudgery to the fourteen-year-old boy, -and only pride prevented him from crying quits. When, finally, wet -boots and continual sniffling caused his mother to put her foot down -Joe was secretly very, very glad! - -But delivering newspapers wasn’t the work he wanted now, unless he -could find none other, and, as he went down Main Street just before -noon, his eyes and mind were busy with possibilities. To find a -position as a clerk was out of the question, since he wouldn’t be able -to work during the busiest hours. Some labor that he might perform -after school in the afternoon and during the evening was what he hoped -to find. And so, as he passed a store or an office, he considered -its possibilities. He paused for several minutes in front of one of -the big windows of Miller and Tappen’s Department Store, but finally -went on with a shake of his head. If it had been before instead of -after the holidays he might have found employment there as an extra -hand in the wrapping or shipping department, but now they would -more likely be turning help away than taking it on. A drug store on -the corner engaged his attention next, and then a brilliantly red -hardware store across the street, a hardware store that evidently -did a large business in athletic goods if one was to judge by the -attractive display in one broad window. But Joe couldn’t think of any -position in one or the other that he could apply for. Further along, -a handsome new twelve-story structure was nearing completion, and he -stopped awhile to watch operations. It was the only “skyscraper” -in sight and consequently stuck up above the surrounding five- and -six-story edifices like, to use Joe’s metaphor, a sore thumb! It was -a fine-looking building, though, and he found himself feeling a civic -pride in it, quite as though he was already a settled citizen of the -town. Well, for that matter, he told himself, he guessed Amesville -wasn’t such a bad place, after all, and if only he could find a -job that would bring him in enough to pay Aunt Sarah for board and -lodging―――― - -But at that moment the noon whistle blew, a bell struck twelve -somewhere and Joe turned back toward Brewer Street. Aunt Sarah had -enjoined him to be back before half-past twelve, which was dinner time, -and he recalled her assertion that she disliked having folks tardy at -meals. So his search for employment must wait until later. - -His walking had made him hungry again and he viewed veal chops -smothered with tomato sauce and the riced potatoes piled high in the -blue dish and the lima beans beside it with vast approval. There was a -generous plate of graham bread, too, and a pyramid of grape jelly that -swayed every time Amanda crossed the floor. He satisfied Aunt Sarah’s -curiosity as to the interview with the high school principal while -satisfying his own appetite. Aunt Sarah said “Hmph!” and that she’d -heard tell Mr. Dennison was a very competent principal. Thereupon she -went into the past history of the Amesville High School and its heads, -and Joe, diligently addressing himself to the viands, told himself that -his Aunt Sarah seemed astonishingly well informed on the subject. Later -he discovered that Aunt Sarah was well informed on most subjects and -that when it came to town news she was better than a paper! - -“I had Amanda bake an apple pudding,” she informed him presently, when -his appetite began to languish. “I guess boys usually like something -sweet to top off with. Do you eat apple pudding?” - -“Yes, Aunt. Most any kind of pudding. But don’t you――don’t you go to -any trouble about me, please. I――I can eat whatever there is. I’ve got -a fine old appetite.” - -“Hmph! Well, I guess you won’t go hungry here. Not that I intend to -have things much different from usual, though. I don’t hold with -humouring folks’ notions about food. Food is food, I say, so long’s -it’s nourishing and decently cooked. Your mother, though, was always a -great one for strange, outlandish dishes and I suppose you’ll miss ’em. -Well, all I can say is plain food’s what I was brought up on and I’ve -never seen anyone hurt none by eatin’ it. I’ve noticed that folks who -like messed-up dishes generally have dyspepsia and are always doctoring -themselves. Amanda, bring in the pudding.” - -Aunt Sarah seemed slightly surprised when, the apple pudding partaken -of, Joe announced that he thought he’d go and have a look around town. -“Well,” she said, “you’re old enough to look after yourself, I suppose, -but for goodness’ sake, don’t go and get run over or anything! Main -Street’s getting to be something awful, what with these automobiles -and all. Seems like a body just has to take his life in his hands when -he goes there nowadays. If those awful things don’t run you down they -scare you to death, and if they can’t do any worse to you they spatter -you with mud. Gracious sakes, I haven’t dared shop on the other side of -Main Street for ’most a year!” - -Joe didn’t confide to her his real errand, just why he didn’t exactly -know. Perhaps he had a dim notion that Aunt Sarah wouldn’t approve of -his engaging in work that might keep him away from home at strange -hours of the day or night. She watched his departure doubtfully from -the front door and when he was almost to the corner of the next street -called after him to go to Rice and Perry’s and get himself a pair of -overshoes. “Tell Mr. Perry they’re to be charged to me, and see that he -gives them to you big enough. If you don’t watch him he’ll fit you too -snug and then they’ll wear out right away!” - -Joe didn’t obey instructions, however. Somehow he wasn’t yet ready -to become indebted to Aunt Sarah, and, besides, he didn’t need -overshoes to get around today. His boots were heavy-soled and as nearly -waterproof as any “guaranteed waterproof” boots ever are. During the -afternoon he made several inquiries for work. A photographer declined -his offer to do errands after three o’clock in the afternoon, a -haberdasher failed to discern the benefits to accrue――to him――from -giving employment to the applicant, and four other merchants of -different trades answered to similar effect. Just before dusk Joe -sought the office of the Amesville _Recorder_. - - - - -CHAPTER III - -AUNT SARAH IS SURPRISED - - -The _Recorder_ was an evening paper and came off the press at half-past -three, and for that reason Joe had made it first choice over its -morning rival, the _Gazette_, which was delivered in the early morning. -Fortunately, he found the circulation manager still on duty when he -reached the office, and although that gentleman, who wore a nervous, -harassed look, scowled upon him fiercely at first, the scowl gradually -faded as Joe stated his mission. Unknown to him, Joe had timed his -application extremely well, since one of the carriers had that very -afternoon been given his dismissal, and it didn’t take more than four -minutes to secure what he was after. The route was not a long one and -paid less than Joe wished it did, but the manager promised to give -him something better if he proved satisfactory and the opportunity -occurred. Joe was supplied with a list of subscribers on Route 6, -told to be on hand promptly next afternoon at three-thirty, and took -himself away well satisfied. The work would bring him only three -dollars a week, which was much less than he believed himself capable of -earning, but the route would take but two hours from the time he left -the newspaper office and he would be through well before supper time. -Besides, Joe had no intention of delivering papers very long. Sooner or -later, he believed, a better chance would offer. Until then, though, -Route 6, with its resultant three dollars a week, would be a heap -better than nothing. - -He told Aunt Sarah about it at the supper table and Aunt Sarah, -instead of expressing disapproval, appeared much pleased. Only, she -insisted, the work mustn’t be allowed to interfere with his studies. -Joe assured her that it wouldn’t, since he would have his evenings -free. After supper he went upstairs, opened the mahogany desk and wrote -a long letter to his mother. He tried to make it sound very brave -and cheerful, but I don’t think Mrs. Faulkner had much difficulty in -reading between the lines and reaching the conclusion that Joe was a -little bit homesick and lonely and that he missed her a lot. He told -about his interview with Mr. Dennison and about the employment he had -secured. - -“It pays only three dollars,” he wrote, “but it won’t take more than -an hour and a half or two hours and I won’t have to work on Sunday -because the _Recorder_ doesn’t have any Sunday edition. I’m going to -pay two and a half of it to Aunt Sarah every week and so you won’t have -to send her very much, will you? I’d give it all to her, but I guess -I’d better keep a half-dollar out for pocket-money. Then you won’t have -to send me any money. After a while I’m going to get something to do -that will pay me more and maybe then you won’t have to send Aunt Sarah -a cent. Aunt Sarah looks like she would bite my head off if I brought -any dirt into the house on my shoes and she talks mighty crusty, but -I guess she’s a pretty good sort after all. She had Amanda cook me a -bully apple pudding for dinner today. I’m pretty sure she did it on my -account, because she didn’t touch it herself. Amanda is a funny old -woman who does the cooking and so on. She’s about sixty, I guess, and -hasn’t but three or four teeth and sort of mumbles when she talks. When -I say anything to her she looks scared and beats it. - -“Mr. Dennison gave me a list of the books I have to have and I’ve got -them all but one. I can rent that and it won’t cost much. I’ve still -got nearly four dollars of what you gave me and you don’t need to send -me any more. I guess I’m going to like this place very much when I get -used to it. Aunt Sarah wanted me to get a pair of overshoes and charge -them to her, but I didn’t like to, and besides my boots are all right -without overshoes. Maybe I’ll get a new pair of rubbers some time. The -ones I brought with me are sort of leaky. But I won’t need any other -things like clothes or shoes or anything for almost a year, I guess, so -you’re not to worry about me.” - -He spent all of an hour over that letter and used four sheets of Aunt -Sarah’s old-fashioned blue-ruled paper, and when it was finished and -ready for the mail his watch told him that the time was half-past nine. -He was opening his door to go downstairs and say good-night to Aunt -Sarah when he heard her coming up. - -“I hope you’ll have enough covers,” she said as she came to the -doorway. “If you haven’t you’ll find another comfortable on the closet -shelf. Breakfast’s at seven, but if you’re very sleepy tomorrow I guess -it won’t matter much if you don’t come down right on time. Amanda can -keep something hot for you. ’Twon’t hurt her a bit. I suppose you’ll -be wanting a bath every morning, and I haven’t any objection to your -having it, only remember the water’s metered and don’t let the plug -slip out. It’s awful the way they charge for water nowadays! First -thing we know they’ll be putting the air on a meter, too, just as -likely as not! Well, I hope you sleep well and get rested, Joseph. -Good-night.” - -“Good-night, Aunt Sarah.” Joe hadn’t had any intention of doing what he -did then, but writing to his mother had left him a little bit lonesome, -and――well, acting on the impulse of the moment, he kissed Aunt Sarah -on the cheek! I fancy he was almost if not quite as surprised as Aunt -Sarah when he had done it. That Aunt Sarah was surprised was very -evident. Indeed, something very like consternation was expressed on her -countenance. - -“_Hmph!_” she snorted. “Hmph! Well, I declare!” - -Joe, embarrassed himself, drew back over the threshold, smiling -uncertainly. Aunt Sarah, at a loss for further words, stared a moment, -said “Hmph!” again in more thoughtful accents and turned away. But -when she had gone a few steps she paused. “I told Amanda to boil you a -couple of eggs for breakfast,” she announced, “but maybe you don’t care -for eggs. Some folks don’t.” - -“Indeed, I do. Thanks.” - -“Well, all right, then. I don’t hold with humouring folks with finicky -appetites, but if there’s anything you’d rather have than the eggs――――” - -“There isn’t, really. The eggs will be fine!” - -“Humph! Good-night.” - -Aunt Sarah’s door closed softly down the hall and Joe smiled as he shut -his own. - -“I don’t believe she minded it at all,” he murmured. “I guess――I guess -she’s never had very many kisses!” - -His first day of school passed without special incident. Several -fellows spoke to him at recess and satisfied their curiosity about -the newcomer, but none of them appealed greatly to Joe and he made no -effort to pursue the acquaintances. At half-past three he was on hand -at the _Recorder_ office, received his bundle of papers, slung them at -his side by a strap which he had bought on the way from school, and -started out. His route began nearly a mile from the newspaper building -and it would have saved time if he had taken a car on Main Street. -But to do that every day would cost him thirty cents, and thirty -cents taken from three dollars leaves quite a hole! So he tramped -the distance instead. He had already studied his route on a map in -a copy of the city directory and so had little difficulty. He did, -however, manage to leave out a block and had to go back to it, but -that wouldn’t happen the next time. The district was one well over on -the west side of town and was inhabited for the most part by factory -workers, although there were a few blocks of more prosperous patrons. -As a general thing the sidewalks were ill paved and held pools of slush -or water, and Joe’s “waterproof” boots belied their reputation by the -time he had tossed the last of his papers on the final porch. But damp -feet didn’t trouble him greatly and he made up his mind to change to -a pair of slippers as soon as he got home. It was quite dark by the -time he reached the little house in Brewer Street and Aunt Sarah had -begun to be concerned, and when he entered the front door, she appeared -quickly from the sitting-room. - -“I was beginning to think one of those automobiles had got you,” she -said tartly. “It’s ’most six o’clock.” - -“I’m sorry to be so late,” replied Joe, “but it took longer today than -it will the next time. I missed some houses and had to go back.” - -“Well, I suppose I don’t need to get anxious about you, but――――” Aunt -Sarah paused, her gaze on his feet. “Joseph Faulkner, look at your -boots!” - -“Yes, they’re sort of damp, aren’t they?” - -“Sort of damp! Land sakes, they’re sopping wet! You go right upstairs -this very minute and take them off and change your socks and dry your -feet and――and don’t you dare come home tomorrow without those overshoes -I told you to get yesterday! First thing I know you’ll be down with -pneumonia! Tramping around through the slush with nothing on but a pair -of fancy shoes!” - -“They’re supposed to be waterproof, Aunt,” said Joe meekly. - -“Supposed to be! Maybe they are supposed to be, but they ain’t. Now, -don’t stand there arguing, but do as I say, Joseph. I may not be your -mother, but I guess I know wet shoes when I see them! And I don’t see -why you didn’t get those overshoes like I told you to yesterday.” - -“I didn’t feel that I could afford them,” said Joe defensively, “and I -didn’t just like to take them as a gift.” - -“Land sakes, you needn’t be so proud, Joseph Faulkner! I guess I’m -your mother’s own half-sister, ain’t I? And if that doesn’t give me -the right to buy a pair of overshoes for you――Hmph! I never heard such -foolishness. You take those wet shoes off directly and I’ll bring you -up a cup of ginger-tea. Fine thing it would be to have you sick on my -hands the very first week you’re here!” - -Joe went up, smiling to himself, and obeyed directions. Only, when Aunt -Sarah passed a steaming cup of ginger-tea in to him he didn’t play -quite fair. He gave it a trial, to be sure, but he didn’t like it, and -if Aunt Sarah had been listening she might have heard one of the guest -room windows cautiously raised. Let us hope that the ginger-tea had no -ill effects on Aunt Sarah’s shrubs! - -Damp feet did not affect Joe’s appetite, and, watching him eat, Aunt -Sarah dared hope that he was not in for a serious illness! - -By Saturday he had settled down into his new life. He was relieved to -find that the few weeks away from school had not put him far behind -and during that first week he proved to his own and Mr. Dennison’s -satisfaction that he really belonged in the junior class. He found much -to like about the school. For one thing, the building, which was fairly -new, was quite a model school structure, with big, broad rooms lighted -by an almost continuous row of high windows through which the sunlight -fairly streamed. Sunlight in classrooms makes for cheerfulness, and -cheerfulness for better work, and better work for more cheerfulness! -That, at least, was the way Joe summed it up. The fellows seemed an -average lot, some nice, some rather objectionable, some neither one -thing nor the other. The same was probably true also of the girls, but -Joe, having no sisters of his own, was shy of girls and didn’t attempt -to decide as to whether they were nice or otherwise. - -At home he and Aunt Sarah settled down into a very pleasant -companionship. Although her voice remained as acid as ever, it was -evident to Joe that she was prepared to be fond of him, and that, used -as he was to affection, was sufficient to make him fond of her. She -was sometimes fussily anxious about him, but she didn’t try to govern -his movements, and that he appreciated. Aunt Sarah’s bark, he soon -decided, was far worse than her bite. The newspaper route occupied -his afternoons between school and supper――which was more like dinner, -since he had only a light lunch in the middle of the day――and required -no great effort. On Monday he collected two dollars and a half for the -five days he had worked and handed the amount over to Aunt Sarah. His -board and lodging was, he learned, to cost three dollars a week. - -“That,” said Aunt Sarah, “was the arrangement your mother made. I told -her she didn’t need to pay a cent unless she was set on it, but she -wouldn’t let you come unless I’d take some money. So I reckoned that -three dollars would be about right. I’ve never taken a boarder and I -don’t pretend to know. If that seems too much, though, I’d like you to -tell me.” - -“It doesn’t seem enough, Aunt,” replied Joe. “I’ll bet I eat more than -three dollars’ worth of food, and that doesn’t leave anything for the -room.” - -“I wasn’t calculating to charge for the room. The room’s there and it -might as well be used. I just meant to charge for what you ate, Joseph, -and I guess you won’t eat more’n three dollars’ worth of food a week.” - -But that was on Monday, and today was only Saturday, and Joe had a -whole morning to dispose of as he liked. He had been given a fine new -pair of skates Christmas before last and had learned at school that -there was fair skating on the river and on one or two ponds around -town. After breakfast he got his skating boots and skates out of his -trunk and looked them over. The only thing missing was a new lacing, -and so he went across to Main Street in search of the article. But -the shoe store in which he had purchased the overshoes didn’t have a -leather lacing suitable and sent him to Cummings and Wright’s, further -down the street. This, he discovered, was the brilliantly-red hardware -store he had noticed one day. One side of it was given over to athletic -goods and when Joe entered two boys were in conversation across a -counter near the door. - -“You can’t get to work too early, Sam,” he heard one of them say as he -drew near. “Start them going about the middle of February. Of course -there isn’t a whole lot to be done in the cage, but you can get in a -lot of batting practice, and your pitchers can find themselves, and――――” - -He broke off and walked along behind the counter to where Joe was -standing. “Good morning,” he said cheerfully. “Is there something you -want?” - -He was a well-built chap of seventeen, with red-brown hair, very blue -eyes and a smile that won Joe on the instant. - -“I want a lacing for this boot, or a pair of them, please. They told me -at Rice and Perry’s that you kept them.” - -“We surely do, and you can have one or two, just as you say.” He turned -away and pulled a box from the shelves. “There you are. Five cents -apiece.” - -“I’ll take just the one, I guess.” - -“All right. They say the skating’s best at Proctor’s Pond. Have you -tried it?” - -“No, I haven’t. I was going down to the river, because I thought I -could find that. Where is this pond, please?” - -“Take a Fair Grounds car at Myrtle Street. Or you can walk it in twenty -minutes. You’ll find it better than the river, I guess. You’re a -stranger here?” - -“I’ve been here just a few days.” - -“That so? I thought I’d seen you around somewhere.” He had taken one of -the skating boots and, despite Joe’s protest, was replacing the broken -lace with the new one. “I know now; I saw you at high school, didn’t I?” - -“I guess so. I started there Tuesday. I――I’ve been living in Akron.” - -“Akron’s a nice town. You’ll like Amesville, though, when you get -acquainted. Have you met many fellows at school yet?” - -“N-no, I haven’t. That is, some have spoken to me, but I don’t really -know anyone yet.” - -“You must, then. Start in by knowing me. My name’s Pollock.” He smiled -winningly and reached a hand across. Joe smiled back and clasped it. - -“Thanks. Mine is Faulkner.” - -“Sam!” called Pollock. The boy at the front of the store, who had been -gravely looking out into the street, turned inquiringly. He didn’t -resemble the other in build or features, but there was, nevertheless, a -similarity between them that Joe couldn’t explain. He wasn’t handsome, -but he had a nice pair of gray eyes and a generously wide mouth that, -although no smile curved it, somehow seemed to proclaim good nature and -kindliness. In build he was heavier than his friend, more sturdy, with -a resolute way of planting his feet that seemed to defy anything short -of an explosion of dynamite to move him until he was ready to move. He -approached in response to Pollock’s hail. - -“Sam, I want you to know Mr. Faulkner,” said Pollock. “Faulkner, -this is Sam Craig. Sam’s our baseball captain and a gentleman of -much wisdom.” The two shook hands, Joe a trifle embarrassedly, Sam -Craig with a slight lifting of one corner of his serious mouth and an -accompanying lighting of the gray eyes. - -“How are you, Faulkner? I’ve seen you around school, I think. Glad to -meet you.” The clasp was a very hearty one, almost painfully hearty, -and Joe worked his fingers afterwards to see that they were still whole. - -“Faulkner,” continued Pollock, completing the lacing of the boot, “is -a stranger in our midst, Sam. He’s just come from Akron. He says he -hasn’t got acquainted much yet. What’ll we do about it? Our fair city -has a world-wide reputation for hospitality, you know, and it mustn’t -be marred.” - -“I’ve only been here since last Monday,” said Joe. “I guess a fellow -can’t expect to make many acquaintances in that time.” - -“Going skating?” asked Sam. - -“Yes. He says the pond is better than the river.” - -“It is. I was there yesterday; the river, I mean. It isn’t safe more -than fifty feet from shore. Proctor’s Pond is the best place just now. -I’m going down there myself. If you’d like to come along I’ll show you -the way.” - -“Thanks, yes, I’d be glad to.” - -“Do you play hockey?” asked Pollock. - -“No. I’ve never tried it.” - -“The team’s practising there this morning and I thought that if you -played you’d better get Sam to work you in with the scrubs for a -try-out.” - -“Thanks, but I don’t. I’m not a very good skater, either.” - -“That makes no matter. Neither is Sam, but they’ve got him playing -goal. That’s the reason, I guess. If Sam lets go of the goal he always -falls down.” - -Joe smiled politely as he paid for the lacing. Sam paid no attention to -the slur. - -“Tom wants to sell you a hockey-stick,” he said calmly. “Just the same, -if you’d like to try it, now’s the time. We need fellows.” - -“I’d like to, but I’d be ashamed to,” laughed Joe. “What I’d have to do -first is learn to keep on my feet.” - -“Just watch Sam, then,” said Tom Pollock. “If he does a thing one way, -you do it the other, and you’ll be all right. I suppose I can’t sell -you a pair of gloves or a sweater, Faulkner?” - -“No, thanks. Not today, anyway. Maybe another time――――” - -“Don’t promise anything,” interrupted Sam. “There’s a good store up the -street. Shall we start along?” - -“I’m all ready. Thanks for putting that lacing in, Pollard.” - -“Pollock is the name,” said Tom. “Think of a fish.” - -“A fish?” asked Joe vaguely. - -“Yes. A pollock’s a fish, you know.” - -“And a mighty ugly, mean-looking fish, too,” said Sam with one of his -infrequent smiles. “Call him what you like, Faulkner. Anything’s good -enough for him. Where’s that stick of mine, Tom?” - -“Just where you left it, on top of the case up there. Wish I could go -along with you chaps. I haven’t seen you crack the ice this Winter, -Sam.” - -“I’m getting so I can fall soft now.” He picked a hockey-stick, to -which were attached boots, skates and leg-pads, from the showcase and -moved toward the door. “See you later, Tom. Come on, Faulkner.” - -Joe nodded to Tom Pollock and followed his new acquaintance outside. - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -JOE FINDS A FRIEND - - -“Walk or ride?” asked Sam, when they were on the sidewalk. - -“Just as you like,” answered Joe. “Walk, if you don’t mind.” - -“I’d rather.” And Sam set off along the street at a brisk pace. “That’s -the new Adams Building,” he said presently, nodding toward the tall -structure across the street. “We’re rather proud of it, as it’s our -only skyscraper. The old one――it wasn’t old, though――burned last Fall. -I’ve been working for the architects who are putting that up.” - -“Really? It must have been a peach of a fire! Was the old building as -big as that one?” - -“Bigger. It had fourteen floors and this has only twelve. The water -pressure here isn’t good enough yet for high buildings. That’s why we -left off seventeen feet this time. Still, this new building’s fireproof -from top to bottom and I guess you could start a fire in it and have to -lug fuel to keep it going! Rather good-looking, isn’t it?” - -“Awfully,” agreed Joe. - -“I suppose you’ve got office buildings in Akron that beat it, but we -think it’s some building. We turn off here.” - -They left the busy part of town and walked briskly along a residence -street until, at last, open country was reached. Sam, having exhausted -the subject of the new Adams Building, didn’t have much to say and -conversation was desultory until Joe, hunting for a topic, remembered -baseball. - -“Pollock said you were captain of the baseball team, didn’t he?” he -questioned. - -Sam nodded. “Yes. Tom could have had it, but he wouldn’t. So they hit -on me.” - -“Pollock, you mean?” - -“Yes. He has charge of the sporting goods department there at Cummings -and Wright’s and thought he wouldn’t have time to look after the team. -Where have you played?” - -“In Akron. Oh, you mean what position? Last Spring I played first base -for our Second Team. How――how did you know I played at all?” - -“Felt that crooked finger of yours. Break it?” - -“Yes, and didn’t know it for a couple of days. Thought it was just a -strain. Then when it came out of the splints it had an out-curve. I -guess I’ll have to have it broken again some day and set right.” - -“Well, it didn’t _look_ so bad,” said Sam judicially. “I happened to -notice it when we shook hands. We’ll be glad to have another candidate -for the bases. You’ll have a couple of pretty good fellows to fight, -but I wouldn’t be surprised if you made good somewhere. How are you at -the bat?” - -Joe shook his head ruefully. “Pretty rotten last year. I used to hit -pretty well when I was on the grammar school team, but I guess the -pitching was awfully soft. I suppose you begin practice indoors some -time next month?” - -“About the middle. You’ll have a chance to get your batting-eye. We -usually put the fellows through a good deal of bunting work in the -cage. It seems to help a lot when they get outdoors. There’s the pond -over there. Let’s cut across here; it’s shorter.” - -The pond was some three acres in extent, and was long and narrow, -curving back around the shoulder of a hill and looking at first glance -like a river. As Joe and his guide climbed a rail-fence and crossed a -snow-covered meadow, following a well-trodden track, the pond proved -to be well populated. Skaters were gliding and turning, many armed with -hockey-sticks, and at the nearer end of the ice two sets of goal-posts -were in place. Some of the hockey players had already thrown aside -their coats and were warming up, their blue-stockinged legs twinkling -over the glassy surface. - -“We usually practise on the river,” explained Sam, “but it isn’t good -enough yet. We’ve got some nets, but there’s no way of getting them -out here, and so we just use the posts. They’re mean things, though; -always getting pushed out of place. Come over here and meet some of the -fellows.” - -Sam’s appearance was vociferously hailed by a knot of boys at the edge -of the ice. Some of the younger fellows had started a fire there and -were scurrying around, far and near, for fuel. Joe was introduced to -seven or eight chaps, many of whose names he either didn’t catch or -promptly forgot. Those he did recall later were Arbuckle, Morris and -Strobe. Arbuckle proved to be the coach, although he was apparently no -older than several of the players, and Morris was the captain. Morris, -whose first name was Sidney and who was universally called Sid, was a -handsome chap, lean, well-conditioned, and a marvel on skates. He was -of about Sam Craig’s age. Arbuckle was a heavier fellow of eighteen -and bore signs on his upper lip of an incipient mustache. Strobe Joe -remembered chiefly because his name was unusual, although the latter -wasn’t certain whether it was Strobe or Strode at the time. - -They were all far too interested in hockey to pay more than passing -attention to the stranger and Joe presently retired from the group -and donned his skates. By the time he was ready for the ice Steve -Arbuckle had blown his whistle and fourteen eager youths were racing -and twisting about after the flying puck. In front of the First Team’s -goal Sam Craig, sweatered and padded, leaned on his broad-bladed stick -and calmly watched. Then a Second Team forward somehow stole the puck -from under Captain Morris’s nose and, digging the points of his skates, -slanted down the rink, dodging and feinting, until only the point -remained between him and goal-keeper. Behind him the pursuit sped, but -he was due for a shot if he could fool the point, and fool the point he -did. Away slid the puck to the right, the charging Second Team forward -twirled, recovered as the point missed his check, got the puck again -before the coverpoint could reach it and charged straight at goal from -the right. - -Sam Craig, still apparently calm and unflustered, refused the challenge -to go out and meet him. Instead, he closed his padded knees together, -held his stick across his body and waited. The Second Team player shot -from six feet away, shot hard and straight. There was a _thud_, the -puck slammed against Sam’s knee and was gently brushed aside as Sid -Morris, skating like a whirlwind, rushed past, hooked it expertly, -swung around behind the goal and set off again down the ice. The Second -Team forward, who had so nearly scored, was already back in line, quite -untroubled by his failure, and Joe identified him as Strobe. Sidney -lost the puck a moment later and the whistle shrilled for off-side. Joe -watched until the First Team had finally penetrated the adversary’s -defence and scored its first goal and then went off up the pond to -skate. Since most of the fellows were watching the hockey he had the -upper reaches of the ice practically to himself. - -Joe was only a fair skater, and now, swinging along and following the -curving shore, he found himself envying the ability of those chaps on -the hockey teams. It must, he thought, be fine to be able to skate as -they did, to feel as much at home on steel runners as on leather, -and he wondered if any amount of practice would ever enable him to -duplicate their marvellous feats. He wished he could play hockey, too. -It looked mighty exciting. Experimentally, he turned and started to -skate backward, zigzagging as he had seen the Second Team’s coverpoint -do. All went well for a minute, but then he raised his hands to -the sky, followed them with his feet and went down on his head and -shoulders. He had quite a nice slide, but he wasn’t able to enjoy it -much, since he was too busy watching the vari-coloured stars that -flashed in front of his closed eyes. When he stopped sliding he felt -gingerly of his head, grinned and climbed carefully to his feet again. - -“That’s what you get,” he murmured, “for trying to be smart.” - -However, when he had got his breath again he was ready for more -experiments and tried the inner edge-roll with fair success, and, -becoming more ambitious, essayed a figure eight. But that didn’t go -very smoothly, and since by that time he had neighbours about him he -stopped his capers. One of the neighbours skated toward him, but Joe -paid no heed to him until he swung around and came to a stop a few feet -away. - -“Do it slower and you’ll get it all right,” observed the boy -pleasantly. Joe saw then that he was Strobe. He had pulled a faded blue -sweater on and still carried his stick. He was a merry-faced fellow, -with good features, bright blue eyes and a good deal of colour in his -cheeks. He was evidently about sixteen and rather tall for that age. He -smiled in friendly fashion as Joe glanced up and stopped so awkwardly -that he almost fell into Strobe’s arms. - -“It isn’t hard,” the latter continued. “Like this. See?” He described a -circle on the outer edge, changed to the inner and completed the figure -slowly and gracefully. - -“I know very well it isn’t hard,” replied Joe, “but it’s hard for me -because I’m a perfectly punk skater.” - -Strobe laughed. “Oh, well, practice is all you need. Can you do the -‘Figure 3’?” - -“Pretty well. I guess you have to learn to skate when you’re about five -years old to do it decently. Like swimming. I never skated much until -two years ago.” - -“I started when I was about eight, I guess,” laughed Strobe. “Know this -one?” - -“This one” was a “Maltese Cross” so perfectly done that every loop was -the same to an inch. Joe watched and sighed in envious admiration. -“That’s dandy,” he said. “It’s like the ‘cross-cut’ only there’s more -of it.” - -“Yes, the ‘cross-cut’ repeated three times. It isn’t hard, really. You -could learn it in an hour.” - -“I couldn’t learn it in a month,” replied Joe disgustedly. “I can’t -even skate backwards without bumping my head on the ice.” - -“Well, I’ve bumped mine often enough. That’s part of the education. -I’ve seen some perfectly wonderful stars in my time!” He started to -skate and Joe joined him. - -“You’re not playing any more?” asked the latter, as the shrill sound of -a whistle from around the shoulder of the hill told him that the game -was still on. - -“No. Sidell’s got my place for this half. There’s a half-dozen of us -all trying for a wing position on the Second, and Steve has his hands -full giving us each a show.” He chuckled softly. “He forgot in the -first half and let me play right through.” - -“Hockey must be good fun,” mused Joe, secretly trying to copy his -companion’s ease of motion. - -“Bully. I wish I could play better and make the First.” - -“I thought you did finely when you skated down and tried that shot,” -said Joe. - -“Mostly luck. Besides, tries don’t count; it’s only goals. And I ought -to have got that in that time. It was up to me to skate past and push -it in instead of whanging it. You can’t get the puck past Sam Craig -that way. I knew it, too, only I thought I’d be smart. Let’s go up and -watch them. Mind?” - -“No, I’d like to,” replied Joe. - -They joined the line of spectators along the side of the supposititious -rink, being frequently obliged to flee before the slashing sticks or -plunging forms of the players, and witnessed the final decisive triumph -of the First Team by a score of seven goals to two. A few of the -players remained to practise further, but most of them, accompanied by -a full half of their audience, crossed a field to where, a quarter of -a mile distant, a blue-sided trolley-car was waiting outside the board -fence of the Fair Grounds to start its noon journey townwards. Joe -found himself still in the company of Strobe, and was well satisfied, -since there was something about the other chap that drew him. They were -chatting quite intimately by the time the car was reached, and when -they got out at Main Street Strobe lengthened his own journey homeward -by several blocks in order to pursue the new acquaintanceship. - -[Illustration: Joe found himself still in the company of Strobe] - -Joe found out then and during the next meeting that Jack Strobe――his -full name was Jackson――was in Joe’s class at school, that he lived -on Temple Street, that he played left field on the nine, that he was -two months older than Joe, that his father was the senior partner of -Strobe and Wonson, whose big jewelry store Joe had noticed on Main -Street, and several other more or less interesting facts. It was only -when Joe was in the house that he recollected that he had failed to -take leave of Sam Craig. He had meant to thank him for taking him out -to the pond, but had been so absorbed in this red-cheeked, blue-eyed -Strobe chap that he had quite forgotten Sam’s existence. He hoped the -latter wasn’t thinking him uncivil, and resolved to make an apology -at the first opportunity. He had agreed to go around in the afternoon -and call on Jack Strobe, and at a little after two was being ushered -by a maid through the rather ornate front door of the Strobe mansion -and into a cosy sitting-room――or perhaps it was a library, since there -were two large bookcases flanking the fireplace, in which a soft-coal -fire was sputtering greasily. Jack came charging down the stairs and at -once haled the visitor up to the third floor, where, on the back of -the house, overlooking a wide vista of snowy roofs and distant country, -Jack had his own particular sanctum. - -It was a big square room lighted by three windows set close together, -and at first glance looked like a museum or a curio shop. Almost every -inch of wall space was covered with pictures, posters or trophies of -some kind, with snowshoes, tennis rackets, foils and mask, Indian -moccasins, a couple of small-bore rifles, a battered lacrosse stick -depended against them. A long, cushioned seat stood under the windows -and was piled with brightly-coloured pillows. The floor was bare -save for a few scattered rugs. A brass bed, a chiffonier, an immense -study table, two comfortable armchairs and several straight-backed -chairs comprised the principal furnishings, but by no means all. Near -the windows was a smaller table, holding wireless instruments. A set -of bookshelves, evidently home-made――Jack referred to them as being -“near-Mission”――held a miscellaneous collection of volumes ranging -from “Zig-Zag Journeys” to the latest juvenile thriller, presented -last Christmas, and including all sorts of old school-books with worn -backs. An old seaman’s chest stood against a wall, the repository -for abandoned toys and devices. One end was decorated with the legend, -apparently inscribed with a brush dipped in shoe-blacking: “Captain -Kidd His Chest! Beware!!” One corner of the room held an assortment -of fishing-rods, golf-clubs and hockey-sticks, and another a pair of -skiis, two canoe paddles, and a camera tripod. The camera itself stood -nearby, neighboured by a jig-saw, and a stereopticon sat beside it. Joe -gazed and marvelled. - -“You’ve got about everything there is up here, haven’t you?” he -exclaimed. “Is that a wireless set? How’s it work? I never saw one -near-to.” - -The instruments were duly explained, not over-enthusiastically, since -Jack had lost interest in wireless telegraphy after a year of devotion, -and then Joe made a tour of the room, examining and questioning and -enjoying himself hugely. Later various scrap-books and stamp-books -were pulled from under the window-seat and looked over, and finally, -having still only partly exhausted the wonders, the two boys settled -down amongst the cushions and talked. That afternoon sped like magic. -Almost before they realised it the room was in twilight and from across -town came the hoarse sound of the five o’clock whistle at the carpet -mills. Whereupon Joe said he must go, and Jack, remonstrating, led him -downstairs, helped him on with his coat, and accompanied him to the -steps. There: - -“What are you doing tonight?” he asked very carelessly. - -“Nothing special,” replied Joe quite as disinterestedly. - -There was a pause. Finally: - -“I might run in for a minute,” announced Jack. “I’m going downtown -anyway and――――” - -“Wish you would.” - -“Your aunt won’t mind?” - -“Of course not. I haven’t much to show you, though. My room’s just a -box, you know.” - -“That’s all right. We can talk some more. About eight?” - -“Before, if you can.” - -“Half-past seven?” - -“Yes. Don’t forget.” - -“I won’t. So long, Faulkner.” - -“So long. And thanks for――everything.” - -Jack laughed shortly. “I haven’t done anything. See you later.” - -“Sure!” - - - - -CHAPTER V - -HOCKEY AND JUST TALK - - -That was the beginning of a friendship that lasted――well, so -far as I know, it’s still lasting and seems likely to continue -lasting indefinitely. In the course of time the inseparable chums -were facetiously referred to as the “two Jays” or the “Joejacks.” -Months later each acknowledged, a trifle shamefacedly, since the -acknowledgment bordered on sentiment, that he had taken to the other at -the moment of their first meeting. That was as near an expression of -affection as they came to, but within a week of that day at Proctor’s -Pond Joe would have jumped off the top of the Adams Building if by so -doing he could have benefited his friend, and Jack would have just as -readily plunged into the river from the railroad bridge had a similar -result impended. And since Jack at that time couldn’t swim a stroke, -his deed would have compared favourably with Joe’s as a token of esteem! - -Neither, however, was required to undertake such feats of self-sacrifice. -Perhaps the nearest approach to them occurred when Joe stood about on -the ice, with the thermometer hovering around zero, his feet numb and -his fingers aching, while he admiringly watched Jack struggle for a -position on the First Team, or when Jack, as became his custom when -duties allowed, tramped by Joe’s side through slush or sleet or rain -over Route 6! They were together whenever it was possible, and when it -wasn’t they were either signalling across schoolrooms or using up Mr. -Strobe’s and Aunt Sarah’s monthly allowance of telephone calls. - -January passed into history very happily for Joe. He was earning enough -to pay Aunt Sarah all but fifty cents a week for his accommodations, he -was doing well at his studies, he was getting cheerful letters every -few days from his mother, and he was enjoying the jolliest, finest -sort of friendship. When the hockey team journeyed to Preston Mills to -play the academy fellows and Jack went along as a possible necessary -substitute forward, Joe went along also and huddled in his coat on a -settee and held Jack’s ulster and saw the Brown-and-Blue go down in -defeat to the tune of four to three in an overtime contest, and mourned -with the others on the way back, and with them vowed dire vengeance -when Preston paid a return visit. That day a substitute delivered Joe’s -papers and he was short fifty cents the following Monday and went -without pocket-money for a whole week. But he didn’t mind――much. It was -worth more than that, much more, to accompany Jack to Preston Mills. - -The hockey team didn’t meet with defeat on all occasions, however, -although it can’t be denied that, in spite of the best endeavours of -coach, captain, and players, they ended the season with fewer victories -than beatings. But they did overwhelm Preston Academy nicely the first -week in February and found the revenge sweet. The ice was in miserable -shape that afternoon, for there had been a thaw, and the visitors -suffered more in consequence than did the home team, for the latter had -cannily spent the forenoon practising under the adverse conditions. -The game was played on the river and inside a regular barrier and with -net goals. Jack had at last proven his right to a place amongst the -First Team substitutes, and in the second period that afternoon he went -further and showed that he was as good a right-wing as high school -could put on the ice. And Joe, excitedly and noisily admiring, was -filled with triumph. - -The score was two to one in Amesville’s favour when the whistle started -the second half and Sid Morris faced off with the opposing centre. -Each seven had shown a good defence and Amesville’s second goal had -been rather in the nature of an accident, the puck slipping around -the corner of the net when four or five sticks had been poking and -hooking at it in a half-inch of water and the goal-tender’s skate had -for an instant slipped aside. It was still anybody’s battle from all -indications and both teams started in in whirlwind fashion. Preston’s -gray-legged warriors kept the Brown-and-Blue busy for the first five -minutes and hammered shot after shot at Sam Craig’s anatomy. Amesville -forgot team-play in the effort to keep the enemy away from the goal, -with the result that Preston fooled her time and again and forced -the playing until Sid’s shrill appeals to “Take it away from them, -High School!” rose high above the rattling of sticks, the grinding of -skates, and the inarticulate cries of the players. Only an off-side -play prevented a score for Preston four minutes after the whistle, for -a hard, low shot got safely past Sam’s shins and into the net. But on -the face-off it was Jack Strobe who stole the disc from between the -feet of the two opponents and who, passing once across the rink to -Captain Morris and drawing the coverpoint from position, took the puck -on the return, upset the point and slashed past the goal-tender for -Amesville’s third tally. - -How Joe cheered and shouted! And how all the others did, too; all -save the handful of faithful Prestonians who had journeyed down with -their team! There was still nearly fifteen minutes of actual time left -and Amesville, encouraged, recovered from her confusion and took the -whip-hand. Time and again Jack and Sidney Morris, working together as -though they had played side by side for years, swept the enemy off -its feet and rushed down the ice with the puck, eluding the defence -more often than not, and making shot after shot at goal. That Preston -Academy was only tallied on five times in that second half was only -because neither Sidney nor Jack nor the other forwards, Hale and -Simpson, who infrequently found an opportunity to bombard the net, were -especially clever shots. But Amesville was well satisfied with the -final result of the game. Seven to one was decisive enough to more than -atone for the defeat at Preston Mills. Joe walked back with his hero -and was as proud as Punch. - -It was that evening that Joe voiced a regret that had been troubling -him for some time. The two boys were in Joe’s room, and Jack, a bit -lame and more or less bruised, was stretched on the bed, something that -Aunt Sarah would not have approved of. Aunt Sarah, however, was getting -used to having boys around and was making the discovery that laws made -for grown-up folks cannot always be applied to youths. At first Jack’s -almost daily appearance at the door, followed by his polite inquiry, -“Is Joe in, Miss Teele?” was greeted by doubtful, sharp glances. Then -Jack’s smiles melted the ice, and Aunt Sarah confided to Joe one -day that that Strobe boy seemed real nice. A day or two later, Joe, -returning from his newspaper delivering, found that a strip of gray -linen had been laid over the stair carpet and continued along the upper -hallway to his door. Aunt Sarah, while reconciled to visitors, was not -going to have her carpet worn out. - -“I wish,” said Joe this evening, “that I could do something.” - -“What do you mean, do something?” asked Jack lazily, turning slightly -to take his weight off a lame hip. - -“Something like other fellows,” explained Joe frowningly. “I can’t -play hockey or basketball or tennis or――or even skate! I can’t play -football, either. Most fellows can do two or three things well. I’m no -good at anything.” - -“Piffle!” said Jack. “You play baseball, don’t you? And you can skate -pretty well.” - -“Yes, like a ton of bricks! As for baseball, well, yes, I can catch a -ball if it’s thrown at me and I can bat a little and I’m fairly fast -on bases. But I’m no wonder at it. I want to play something decently, -Jack.” - -“I suppose you’re making things out worse than they really are. Any -fellow can do those stunts if he tries hard enough. Funny you don’t -play tennis, though. Why?” - -“I never cared for it. I guess the reason I don’t do things is because -I never wanted to much before. Beside, at home――in Akron――I was always -pretty busy with other things. I――I studied pretty hard――――” - -“There you are, then!” said Jack triumphantly. “Don’t you know that -a fellow can’t be a grind and a great athlete, too? Look at me. You -don’t find me being pointed out as an example of conduct, do you? You -didn’t see my bookcase stuffed with prize volumes, did you? Ever hear -of me getting an A, or even a B-plus, in anything? Answer, _No_, with -a capital N! A chap simply has to choose, Joey, whether he is to make -his mark one way or the other. I chose the other. It’s more fun.” - -“You’re talking a lot of rot. I happen to know that you were pretty -near the head in your class last year. And you never have any trouble -with your studies. Besides, I was reading not long ago that the -principal athletes at one of the colleges in the East――either Yale or -Harvard, I think――were ’way up in their studies; honour men and things -like that.” - -“Oh, if you believe the newspapers――――” - -“Newspapers are a heap more truthful than folks,” interrupted Joe. -“I’ve heard my father say that lots of times. Anyway, it’s silly to say -a fellow can’t study and go in for athletics, too. Look at Sam Craig. -He plays baseball, football, and hockey, you told me. And he’s ’way up -in his class.” - -“Well, if you’re going to prove things I shan’t argue,” sighed Jack. -“It’s no fun arguing when the other fellow insists on proving he’s -right. It――it puts you at a disadvantage. Anyway, all that’s got -nothing to do with what we were talking about. You said you wished you -could do something. I say you can play baseball. That’s something, -isn’t it? I’d rather make the nine than the hockey team any day.” - -“You’ve made both,” replied Joe disconsolately. “I don’t believe I’ll -ever make anything.” - -“A couple of piffles! In two months you’ll be holding down first or -second base. I wish you’d beat out Frank Foley for first, Joe. If -you’ll do that I’ll present you with anything I own. I’ll give you an -order on dad for a diamond sun-burst or a chest of silver. Mind, I -don’t say you’d get the things; but I’ll give you the order.” - -“Who’s Frank Foley?” asked Joe. - -“What? You’ve never heard of ‘Handsome Frank’? For the love of lemons, -don’t let him hear you, Joey! Why, Frank is our Adonis, our Beau -Brummel, our――our――――” - -“Well, what is he when he isn’t Brummeling?” - -“There ain’t no such time. He’s always on that job. Frank is the life -of our little parties on all occasions. He has his nails manicured -every day and sends to Cleveland or Chicago or somewhere for his -neckties――only he calls them scarves. Frank is some swell, believe me! -You surely must have seen him.” - -“Tall and sort of bored-looking? Wears a greenish Norfolk suit?” - -“Yep, that’s Frank. You can’t always tell him by that green suit, -though, for he has half a dozen if he has one. I don’t see how he does -it, because his father hasn’t much coin, they say. He’s division -superintendent on the railroad. I’ll bet he keeps his father poor. -Anyway, he’s our best little dresser and we’re mighty proud of him.” - -“You didn’t sound so a moment ago.” - -“Well, I’ll tell you.” Jack changed his position with a suppressed -groan. “As a thing of beauty, so to speak, as a――a picturesque feature -of the local landscape――say, that’s pretty good, isn’t it? Picturesque -feature of the local landscape!――Well, as one of those things he’s fine -and we’re proud as can be of him. If a circus came to town we’d trot -Frank out and simply run away with the honors. But as a――a regular -fellow he won’t do. He’s too――oh, I don’t know what he is. I don’t like -him for so many reasons that I can’t think of the first one. I always -have a fearful temptation to walk on his shoes and take the shine off -or bang a snowball against his hat or tie him down and put a little -natural dirt under his finger-nails. Mind you, Joey, I love clean -finger-nails”――he shoved his hands under him as he spoke――“but I hate -to have a fellow dazzle my eyes every time he moves his hands! Besides, -I object to green Norfolks and green hats with the bows in the wrong -place and fancy vests――waistcoats, I mean! Gee, I’m glad Frank didn’t -hear me call ’em vests! The trouble with Handsome Frank is that he’s a -good-looker and someone’s told him about it. He can’t forget it for a -minute. Now, I’m a handsome brute, Joey, and you’re not as homely as -you might be, but we don’t go around throwing our chests out and trying -to look like――like a work of art, do we? And we don’t dress up like a -horse, do we? And we don’t polish our finger-nails till they shine like -nice little pink pearls, do we? Let’s see yours. No, we don’t!” - -“Well, if he’s like that I shouldn’t expect him to play anything as -rough and rude as baseball,” said Joe. - -“No, would you? And yet he does. And he plays football, too, which is a -degree and a half rougher and ruder. As a matter of fact, Joe, Handsome -Frank is a corking good first baseman, and no slouch of a tackle. He’s -the fellow you’ll have to fight hardest for first, if you’ve set your -heart on that position.” - -“I haven’t. I’d be a silly chump to. I don’t believe I play well enough -to get a show with the Second Team.” - -“Two more orders of piffle, and have them hot! Don’t assume that -attitude, Joey. Don’t tell folks you’re no good. They might believe -you. I’ve noticed folks are more likely to believe you when you tell -them you’re rotten than when you crack yourself up. You keep a still -mouth, old chap, and if anyone says ‘What was your batting average -last year, Mr. Faulkner?’ or ‘What was your fielding average?’ you -dust a speck off your sleeve and look ’em square in the eye and say, -careless-like, ‘I batted for three-twenty-seven and fielded for a -little over four hundred!’ They won’t believe you, but they’ll think -‘If he can lie as well as that he must play a pretty good game of -ball!’” - -“Jack, you’re an awful chump tonight,” laughed his chum. “What does -your friend Frank do when he gets some dust on his hands fielding a -ball or soils his trousers sliding to base? Does he stop the game and -telephone for a manicure and a whisk-broom?” - -“No. He bears it wonderfully. Oh, I suppose I’ve made him out worse -than he is. I just don’t like him. Still, I’m not the only one, by a -long shot. You’d have trouble finding many fellows who do like him. But -he can play baseball and he’s a peach of a baseman. He’s not much at -hitting, though. Are you, Joe?” - -“Fairly rotten, thanks.” - -“Well, that won’t do. You dig hard when practice begins. Find your -batting-eye, Joey. Then, if you can hold down first base decently well, -you might oust Mr. Foley. I’d consider it a personal favour if you did.” - -“Seems to me it’s a good thing you don’t actually hate Foley. If you -did you’d insist on having him thrown into the river or browned in oil! -When you take a dislike to me, please let me know, Jack, so I can beat -it while the beating’s good.” - -“Well,” replied Jack cheerfully, “I’m like that, I guess. If I like a -fellow I like him a lot. If I dislike him I haven’t any use for him. I -suppose it’s my ardent Spanish nature.” - -“Your _what_?” - -“Yep. You see, Joey, about three or maybe four hundred years ago I had -a Spanish ancestor. Spaniards, you know, are hot-blooded, desperate -rascals. Whenever I do anything real wicked I lay it to that ancestor. -It’s a convenience.” - -“You and your old ancestor!” scoffed Joe. “Say, what sort of practice -do we do in the baseball cage?” - -“Naturally, we do tatting and plain sewing.” - -“Oh, cut it out, Jack! Honest, what can you do indoors? I never saw -anyone practise baseball in a cage.” - -“Batteries get the most out of it, Joe. But we all go through a certain -amount of stuff. Bat’s a great believer in setting-up exercises, for -one thing. He keeps us at that for a week or so before we’re allowed -to touch a ball. Then the pitchers and catchers work together and we -have a batting session each day and we slide to base and――and pass, of -course.” - -“Bat’s the coach, isn’t he?” - -“Yep. Mr. Bennet A. Talbot; B, A, T, Bat. He’s a good sort, too. And -knows a baseball from a rosy-cheeked apple, if anyone should enquire. -He’s all right. I’m strong for Bat.” - -“A good name for a baseball coach,” laughed Joe. - -“The fact has been suggested before,” replied Jack with a grin. - -“Oh, I didn’t suppose I was getting off a new one. But, look here, you -can’t do much hitting in a little old cage, can you?” - -“Not if Tom Pollock’s pitching,” chuckled Jack. “Why, you see, my -ignorant friend, the idea is not to knock the ball through the wires, -but to tap it politely. Bat will tell you that if you can get your bat -against the ball in the cage you can do it when you get on the field. -I don’t know that he’s terrifically right about it, though. I don’t -believe it does any harm to roll bunts around in the gym, but I do know -that in my own case as soon as we move outdoors and I take a healthy -swing at the ball it isn’t there! And it takes me a week or so at the -net to find it.” - -“They tell me you’re a peach of a batter,” said Joe admiringly and a -trifle enviously. - -“Oh, I connect sometimes. When I do they travel. That’s all. I’m no H. -R. Baker.” - -“Who’s he?” asked Joe innocently. - -“Ball-player. I’m going home. Your ignorance may be catching. See you -in the morning. Who swiped my――Oh, here it is. So long, Joey!” - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -JOE HAS AN IDEA - - -Joe’s circle of friends and acquaintances widened. He met many fellows -through Jack, and Jack seemed to know most of the better sort of boys -in the town. What sometimes puzzled Joe was how it had happened that -Jack, with so many friends to choose from, had remained without a -special chum and had finally chosen him. Joe got on very friendly terms -with Tom Pollock and became a great admirer of that youth. Anyone with -such a reputation as a pitcher and all-around ball-player as Tom had -would have won Joe’s respect and regard in any case, but Tom was a -very likable chap besides. Sam Craig he saw less of, although Sam was -nice when they met, and more than once reminded him of the approaching -fifteenth of February, on which day baseball practice was to start -indoors. - -By the beginning of February Joe was quite at home in Amesville and -had grown to like the place thoroughly. He and Aunt Sarah were getting -on finely. Aunt Sarah was outwardly still the same stern-visaged, -sharp-voiced person, but Joe had discovered that under that rather -forbidding exterior lay a very kind heart. Nowadays Aunt Sarah’s -principal mission in life appeared to be the finding of new ways to -please Joe, without, if possible, allowing him to suspect it! - -Joe’s only cause for dissatisfaction was his after-school work. In less -than a fortnight indoor practice would begin for the baseball squad, -and that meant that either he would have to give up his newspaper route -or abandon his hope of making the nine. Consequently, he began to look -around harder than ever for some labour that he might perform in the -evenings. He consulted Jack, of course, and Jack, while eager to aid, -had nothing to offer in the way of practical suggestions. In the end, -Joe solved the problem without assistance. - -He and Jack happened to be in Pryor’s stationery store one afternoon. -Jack was buying some fountain-pen ink and Joe strayed over to the -counter that held a not very large assortment of magazines, together -with the local newspapers and a few papers from other cities of the -State. While he was turning the pages of a magazine a well-dressed, -middle-aged man came in and asked for a Chicago _Tribune_. He was -a travelling salesman, Joe concluded. Whether he was or not, he was -contemptuously impatient when the clerk informed him that they didn’t -keep Chicago papers. - -“Don’t, eh?” he demanded. “No, I suppose you wouldn’t! I ought to -have known it. You folks in this town don’t seem to know there’s any -other place in the country. Still, you might have heard of Chicago. -It’s a little village in Illinois, down near the lower end of Lake -Michigan. There’s a tree in front of it. They were talking of building -a horse-car line when I left. Got a Cleveland paper, then?” - -The sarcasm was quite lost on the youthful clerk. He only gazed in a -puzzled fashion at the annoyed customer and shook his head. - -“There ain’t any left,” he said indifferently. “We had one this -morning.” - -“You did? Think of that! One whole paper! Say, you folks take a lot of -risks, don’t you? Just suppose you hadn’t sold it!” The irate gentleman -left the store abruptly and Joe followed his departing figure with -thoughtful eyes. A moment later Jack completed his purchase and they -left the shop. It was well after five and, although it was the custom -for Joe to walk home with Jack, this afternoon he pleaded duties and, -promising to go around after supper, watched his friend lose himself in -the throng. What Joe did next would have occasioned Jack some curiosity -had he been there to see. Joe crossed the street――the other side of the -thoroughfare was less congested at this time――and went slowly northward -for six blocks, his eyes busy all the way. Then he crossed again and -returned on the first side. His travels took him over the busiest -portion of the street and left him finally four blocks below the Adams -Building. But what he was looking for he hadn’t seen, and he shook his -head as he turned his steps northward again. In front of the Adams -Building a small newsboy was selling the evening paper and Joe stopped. - -“Got a Cleveland paper?” he asked. - -The boy shook his head. “I don’t carry ’em,” he said. - -“Columbus?” - -“Ain’t got nothin’ but the _Recorder_.” - -“That all you ever carry?” - -“Yep.” - -“Do you know where I can buy a Cleveland or a Columbus paper?” - -“You might get ’em at Pryor’s, three blocks up.” - -Joe retreated to the front of the building and again looked about him. -From the entrance beside him quite a stream of folks were emerging to -hurry homewards. At least every other one stopped to purchase a paper -before going to the car or walking away. - -“Hm,” said Joe thoughtfully. “I wonder, now!” - -He entered the lobby of the office building and studied it. On one side -were the elevators. Behind them a broad marble stairway started upward, -turning behind the cages, to the floor above. The lobby was not large, -but it was large enough for the purpose Joe had in mind, and presently, -when the occupants of one elevator had pushed out through the revolving -doors, he stepped off the little space between the first elevator and -the front wall of the building. A little less than three yards he made -it. The depth was five feet. Joe half closed his eyes and studied it. -Then, jostled by another carful of departing occupants, he made his way -across to the directory beside the elevators. It was evident that many -of the offices, and Joe decided that there must be some two hundred of -them, were still unoccupied, although the building was now complete -as to its interior. A placard near at hand notified the public that -offices were to be rented of Joseph Adams, Room 129. At that moment an -elevator descended and emptied itself, and the operator, observing Joe -at the directory, asked who he was looking for. - -“Strobe,” replied Joe, giving the first name that came to his mind. - -“Not here. Maybe he’s coming later. If you mean John P. Strobe, his -place is across the street there, on the opposite corner. Jeweler, is -he?” - -Joe said he was and thanked the youth for the direction. Then, looking -about him at the unsurfaced walls: “This is a pretty good building,” he -observed. The other nodded. - -“Best in this town, anyway. It wouldn’t cut much ice in Cincinnati, I -guess, but it’s pretty good for Amesville.” - -“Are there many in it?” - -“Sure, and it’s filling up fast. The old man’s renting two or three -offices a day, I hear.” - -“I suppose there’ll be a news-stand here, won’t there?” - -“News-stand? Search me! I haven’t heard of any.” - -“I should think you’d need one. You must have two or three hundred -people in here.” - -“Easy! There’s two hundred and eight offices, and some has two or three -people in ’em. Course, they ain’t all rented yet, but――――” - -The signal buzzed and the operator slammed the door and shot out of -sight just as another car arrived. Joe made his way out with the throng -and hurried homeward, his mind very busy all the way. At supper he was -so preoccupied and silent that Aunt Sarah tried to get him to describe -his symptoms and watched him depart for Jack’s house with misgivings. -Up in the big room on the third floor Joe laid the scheme before his -chum. Jack was instantly enthusiastic. - -“It’s simply great!” he declared. “How’d you ever think of it? But -you’d sell other things besides newspapers, wouldn’t you, Joey?” - -“Yes. Cigars, candy, magazines――anything I could. You see, Jack, if -folks who work in the building know they can get such things right -there they’re pretty sure to deal with me. I ought to sell a lot of -cigars――――” - -“And chewing-gum,” laughed Jack. - -“And newspapers, too. And I’d make a specialty of carrying the -Cincinnati and Cleveland and Columbus papers, and the Chicago, too; and -maybe one of the New York papers. The trouble is, though, that I’d -have to have money to start with, and I haven’t got it.” - -“That’s so.” Jack’s face fell. “How much would you need?” he asked -after a minute. - -“It’s hard to tell. Of course, I don’t know what rent Mr. Adams would -charge me, in the first place. In fact, I don’t know yet that he will -rent the space at all. I wondered if your father knew him well enough -to speak a good word for me, Jack.” - -“Of course he does! They’re thick as thieves. I’ll get dad to go and -see him with you if you like. Want to go down and ask him now?” - -“No; wait a while. I was wondering――――” Joe was silent a minute. Then: -“Have you any money, Jack?” - -“Me? About a dollar. Want it?” - -“I wondered whether you had any in the bank or――――” - -“I have! I’d forgotten it. I’ve got about sixty dollars, I think. But I -don’t know whether dad would want me to take it out, Joe. I’d lend it -to you in a minute if he’d let me, though.” - -“I wasn’t thinking of borrowing it,” said Joe. “I was going to suggest -that we go in together. I think we could start with about fifty -dollars. We needn’t put in much of a stock at first, you know. There’d -be a month’s rent, say twenty dollars, and we’d have to buy a few boxes -of cigars and we’d have to have a counter built. Maybe we’d better say -sixty dollars, to be on the safe side. I haven’t figured on it yet, but -I believe we could do it for sixty. I thought that if you’d put in half -and take half the profits until you were square――――” - -“I get you, Joey! Half would be only thirty dollars, wouldn’t it? I -don’t believe dad would mind my taking out that much. But could you get -the other thirty, Joey?” - -“I think so. I――I’ve got an idea that may work. Anyway――――” - -“Why couldn’t I put in the whole sixty if dad will let me? In that way -you wouldn’t have――――” - -“It wouldn’t be wise,” said Joe. “I’m pretty sure I can make the thing -go and pay a good profit, Jack, but if I happened to be wrong you’d -stand to lose your money. And sixty dollars would be too much to drop. -Besides, your father wouldn’t let you put in that much when I wasn’t -putting in any.” - -“Maybe not. Let’s go down and talk to him about it.” - -“No, let’s go over it first. There may be something I’ve missed. Now, -say Mr. Adams lets us have the space for twenty a month; that’s -enough, although he may not think so; then we’ve got to have a counter -built and that will cost, say, ten dollars. It’ll have to be made to -look pretty neat, you know; maybe it had better be imitation mahogany. -Then we’d arrange with the news company for a small list of magazines. -We’d have to pay cash for those at first, but they don’t cost much. -Same way with the papers. There’s good money in the _Gazette_ and the -_Recorder_ at two cents if you sell enough of them. Then we’d want to -put in some confectionery, like gum and chocolate and package things. -We can buy that in Cincinnati and get as little as we want to start on. -At the end of the month we ought to have enough for the next month’s -rent and enough to put in new stock. My idea would be to make the stock -bigger all the time, as we could afford it. There wouldn’t be any other -expenses, would there? Can you think of any?” - -Jack couldn’t. “It looks perfectly safe to me,” he said, “because the -rent is the only thing we’d have to worry about, isn’t it? I mean, we -needn’t have more cigars and other things at a time than we could sell -right away.” - -“That’s the idea. We’ve got to begin in a small way and expand. We -won’t lay out a cent more than we have to. Then, if it shouldn’t -prove a go we wouldn’t be stung very much. The papers, you know, are -returnable, so we wouldn’t get stuck on those. Some of the magazines -are, too, I think.” - -“Hold on!” exclaimed Jack suddenly. “Who’s going to tend shop? We’ll be -in school all day up to three o’clock. Bet you hadn’t thought of that!” - -“You must think I’m a good deal of an idiot,” laughed Joe. “I’ll tell -you my scheme. I thought I could go down there in the morning and get -things fixed. We’d have a box on the corner with a slot in it and when -anyone bought anything they could drop the money in the box. Then, -after school――――” - -“Suppose they didn’t!” interrupted his chum. “Seems to me that’s pretty -risky!” - -“I don’t believe so. You put folks on their honour like that and -they’ll appreciate it and act square. I’ll bet we won’t lose half a -dollar a month, Jack.” - -“Well, you’ve got a lot of faith, Joey. Still, you may be right at -that. Come to think of it, I guess you are. All right. And then after -school we could go down there and tend shop, eh?” - -“When we didn’t have to practise.” - -“That’s so. I’d forgotten practice. Well, on Saturdays we could be -there all day, eh? That would be a lot of fun. I’ve always wanted to -be a merchant and sell things. ‘Cigars? Yes, sir. I think you’ll like -these. We make them ourselves and know just what goes into them, sir. -Two for five, please. Thank you, sir. Come again if you live!’ That’s -the stuff, isn’t it?” - -“Fine!” laughed Joe. “Now let’s go down and hear what your father -says.” - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -PARTNERS - - -Five days later the news-stand in the lobby of the Adams Building was -ready for business. - -It had all been extremely simple and easy. Mr. Strobe had not only -consented to use his influence with Mr. Adams, but had declared that -he believed the investment of thirty dollars in the enterprise to be -a good stroke of business. In fact, Jack’s father became the most -enthusiastic of the three that evening when the matter was broached -to him. If, he said, Jack didn’t want to go into partnership with Joe -he’d be glad to take a half interest himself! A news-stand in the Adams -Building ought to be a money-maker, and he wondered that someone hadn’t -thought of it before. Thereupon Joe suggested anxiously that perhaps -someone had, and wasn’t satisfied until Jack’s father had called Mr. -Adams up on the telephone and ascertained that the privilege had not -been disposed of and that Mr. Adams was quite willing to confer with -them tomorrow in the matter. - -Mr. Joseph Adams was president and principal owner of the big carpet -mills and held title to much residence and store property throughout -the town. He was about forty-two years of age, a much younger man than -Joe had expected to find when, led by Mr. Strobe, they entered his -office in the new building early the next morning. The business was -completed in rather less than five minutes. Mr. Strobe stated what was -wanted, Joe answered a question as to proposed location of the stand, -they all descended to view the spot, and Mr. Adams then said: “I’m -agreeable. Rent free until the first of March. After that, eighteen -dollars a month. Keep everything clean and neat. Come around this -afternoon and I’ll have a lease ready for you.” - -When they returned at half-past three Mr. Adams said: “One thing I -neglected to speak of, boys. About your counter and showcase, now; -better let me attend to those, I guess. I don’t want anything that -clashes with the finish down there. I’ve got Mayer coming here in about -ten minutes. He’s the boss-carpenter. I thought we’d decide what was -wanted and he could go ahead and put it up. The walls are cream white -down there and I think we’d ought to have the stand to match. That -suit you? What had you thought of?” - -“Mahogany, sir,” replied Joe. “That is, imitation mahogany. But I think -cream white would look better.” - -“I guess so. Now, look here.” Mr. Adams drew a sheet of paper towards -him and sketched roughly. “A row of shelves across to here; sliding -doors at the back; panelled in front. Then a flap counter the rest of -the way; lift it up to get in, you know; crawl under if you’d rather. -Now what about shelves at the back? Need them? They wouldn’t look well, -I guess.” - -“I don’t think so,” replied Joe. “I guess we’d have room for everything -on the counter and in the showcase. I――I hadn’t thought about a -showcase, though, Mr. Adams. Won’t it cost a good deal?” - -“Twelve dollars and sixty cents. I priced it. That needn’t worry you, -though; I’m paying for the whole thing.” - -“Oh!” murmured Joe. “I didn’t understand.” - -“That’s great!” exclaimed Jack. - -Mr. Adams smiled. “Doing it for my own protection. I’d rather have -something that looked solid and substantial there. I don’t want -anything cheap, you know. Here’s Mayer now,” he added as a clerk -appeared at the door. “Let’s go down and see what’s to be done.” - -Joe thought he had never encountered anyone who could rush a thing -through as Mr. Adams could. It took him about three minutes to explain -his ideas to the carpenter and when he had finished, that gentleman, -a taciturn man with a long head and a Scotch burr, could suggest no -improvements. - -“All right, then,” said Mr. Adams briskly. “Get right at it, Mayer. -Have it done――when do you want it, boys?” - -“Whenever it’s convenient, sir. There’s no――――” - -“This is Saturday. Get it done by Wednesday, Mayer. See that you get a -good dull enamel on it, like the walls. Make a good, finished job.” - -The boss-carpenter nodded. Then: “How about the light, sir?” he -inquired. - -“Light? That’s so. Ought to be one back of the counter. See Purley and -Ferris about that and tell them to put up a small dome light, same -design as the others here. That’s all, I guess.” - -A moment later he was being shot upwards in an elevator, Mr. Mayer was -silently measuring with a pocket rule, and Joe and Jack, their lease -in Joe’s pocket, sought the sidewalk. Outside, Jack capered gleefully. -“Nearly a month’s rent free, Joey,” he exclaimed, “and we don’t have to -pay for building the stand! He’s a brick, isn’t he?” - -“Yes,” agreed Joe. “I’m wondering――――” - -“What?” demanded the other impatiently. - -“Well, we won’t need so much money as we thought, you see. I guess we -can get started on about half of it.” - -“We’ll buy more stock!” - -“N-no, we’d better start easy, as we agreed to. What I was thinking was -this, Jack. When I said I thought I could get hold of my half the money -I had Aunt Sarah in mind. I think she’d loan me thirty dollars if she -had it. But I don’t know whether she’d have that much, you see, and――――” - -Jack interrupted with a laugh. “Not have thirty dollars!” he cried. -“Why, your Aunt Sarah is one of the richest women in Amesville, you -booby! Everyone knows that!” - -“She is?” asked Joe in surprise. “I didn’t know it. She’s always so――so -careful――――” - -“Stingy, you mean, don’t you?” laughed Jack. - -“No, I don’t mean that, really. She isn’t a bit stingy. She’s just -careful. About putting the light out when you’re not using it, and -bargaining with the tradespeople, and――and like that, you know. Well, -anyway, I’d rather not ask her for the money. I’d much rather borrow it -from you. If we only need thirty dollars altogether, your share would -be fifteen and mine would be fifteen. Well, if you can take thirty out -of the savings bank you might put fifteen into the business and loan -the other fifteen to me at the regular rate of interest. Would you be -willing to do that? No matter whether the business got along or not, -I’d pay you the fifteen back, of course, because I could get it from -Aunt Sarah.” - -“Sure! That’s the ticket! Only I don’t want any interest, you old -Shylock!” - -“I’d rather, though. I’d pay Aunt Sarah interest, and why not you?” - -Jack was hard to persuade, but Joe ultimately got him to agree. “We’ll -ask your father about it, though. If he says it’s all right――――” - -“He will,” laughed Jack. “Dad thinks you’re a sort of young Napoleon -of Finance, Joey, and anything you do is all right. Fact is, I believe -he’s a bit sore because we didn’t let him in on this.” - -During the succeeding four days――with the exception of Sunday――the boys -spent most of their spare time in the lobby of the Adams Building -watching the construction of the news-stand. Mr. Mayer called it a -“booth,” and since they had every wish to keep him good-humoured, they -adopted that name for it themselves. On Tuesday morning it was in place -and had received its first coat of paint. The enamel went on Tuesday -afternoon and a second coat was to be applied two days later. But as -the final application could be made while business was going on, the -boys decided to open the stand Wednesday afternoon. - -Joe had already ordered a small assortment of package candies, -chewing-gum, and such things from Cincinnati, had made arrangements -with the news company for current magazines and certain out-of-town -papers, had arranged with the two Amesville journals for fifty copies -to be delivered daily, and had spent the larger part of their principal -in the purchase of cigars, cigarettes, and tobacco. Although he brought -as little of everything as he could, he discovered to his dismay that -on Wednesday morning he had but seven dollars of the original thirty -left. I don’t think either Joe or Jack did very well at lessons that -day. It was frightfully hard to keep their minds on their school work, -so impatient were they to get to the stand and start business. Joe -went over his newspaper route on Tuesday for the last time. He had some -slight misgivings about abandoning that employment, for although it -brought him but three dollars, the money was certain. However, nothing -venture, nothing have; and he was pretty certain, too, that he could -find work again with the _Recorder_ if necessary. - -So just as soon as school was dismissed the two boys hurried down town -to their place of business, as Jack importantly phrased it. The counter -shone freshly white and the handsome showcase, three feet in length -by twenty-two inches in breadth, nickel-trimmed, with mirrors set in -the sliding panels at the back, had been cleaned and polished until it -was speckless. They raised the hinged end of the counter and stepped -inside. Joe turned a switch and a flood of mellow light shone down -from the neat ground-glass dome above. Many bundles had already been -unpacked and their contents stowed on the shelves under the counter, -but others awaited them, and they set to work. There was not much room -between counter and wall, but there was enough to move about in. The -counter was two feet wide, leaving the space behind it not quite three -feet. The showcase had been placed midway between wall and hinged -flap and there was two feet of solid counter on each side of it. If -necessary they could make use of the hinged portion as well and pass -under it instead of lifting it up. But at present there was plenty of -room for all their goods without availing themselves of that section. -The shelves underneath were roomy and the sliding doors were supplied -with a neat Yale lock. Joe inserted his key in it, pushed aside a panel -and revealed their store of smokers’ articles. It was a quarter to four -and they worked busily to get things in shape against the time the -occupants of the building began to leave. They expected to sell no more -today than a few evening papers, but they wanted the public to know -that the stand was opened for business. - -The cigars and tobacco and cigarettes went into the case. Joe had to -do a lot of arranging before he managed to make them occupy enough of -the space to satisfy him. Even then the showcase looked pretty empty. -“We ought to have about a dozen boxes of cigars,” he said, “to make a -showing. I’ll have to spread everything out in here or else it will -look as if we didn’t have anything!” - -Jack, struggling with a bundle of confectionery on the counter, grunted -assent. Joe, finally closing the showcase, pulled out a dozen or so -magazines from underneath and arranged them on the counter. Then came -the candy, most of it in half-pound boxes, and a varied assortment -of gum and enticing confections put up in tiny tin boxes. There was -some discussion as to where these things should be placed. In the end -some were put on top the showcase and the rest ranged between the -magazines and the wall. The space at the other side of the case was -reserved for newspapers and a few minutes later the fifty copies of the -_Recorder_ arrived, were paid for, and spread on the counter. With them -were a half-dozen copies of morning papers from Cleveland, Columbus, -Springfield, Sandusky, Cincinnati, and Dayton. At last everything was -in place and the boys emerged into the corridor to view the result. It -certainly looked attractive and business-like, and they were hugely -pleased. Joe rearranged the boxes of candy so that the colored tops -would show better and then Jack went back behind the counter and -between them they distributed the price cards. These were small squares -or oblongs of gray cardboard with black lettering and had been done -by the man who performed such work for Strobe and Wonson. A number of -small, weighted holders had been purchased――an extravagance that Joe -had resisted at first――and the cards were slipped between the wire -loops. Jack again emerged to view the effect. - -“Looks swell, doesn’t it?” he asked. Joe agreed that it did, and one of -the elevator boys, who had been an interested observer at intervals, -now stepped from his car and joined them. He was a tall, raw-boned -youth of seventeen or eighteen, by name Martin Olson, but generally -known as Ole. Ole had a shock of carroty red hair and an unattractive -flat face liberally sprinkled with large freckles that matched his -hair. Neither Joe nor Jack had taken to Ole much, but his praise of the -news-stand now inclined them more favourably toward him. - -“Best looking little shop in town,” he announced enthusiastically. -“That’s a swell glass case you’ve got there, too.” He examined the -contents. “You ought to have some Dobbins, though. Dobbins are the best -five-cent smoke there is. What kind of cigarettes have you got? Uh-huh, -I see. There’s lots of fellows in the building smokes Scimitars, -though. You’d ought to lay in some of those, I guess.” - -“We’ll find out pretty quick what’s wanted,” replied Joe. “What we -should have, though, is a lighter. Guess we’d better have some matches -on the showcase until we can get a lighter. You tend shop, Jack, and -I’ll go and get some.” When he returned from a trip around the corner -to the nearest grocery Ole had departed, but the second elevator -attendant had taken his place. He was a younger lad, short and stocky -and red-cheeked, with a wealth of assurance and a fine command of -slang. His name was Walter. There was probably more to it, but the boys -never learned it. Walter was equally complimentary. - -“Some stand, kiddoes, believe me,” he affirmed. “All to the cheese. -Say, what kind o’ cigs do you handle? Got any Moorish Beauties?” - -“No, we haven’t,” said Jack. - -“You ought to, then. They’re the best. Lots o’ fellers smokes Beauties.” - -“We’ve got six sorts there,” laughed Joe, “and it seems we haven’t the -right ones yet. Ole says we ought to keep Scimitars.” - -Walter sniffed. “Huh, they ain’t no good. Punk! Beauties is the brand -for you. Got any novels?” - -“Novels? No. Just magazines.” - -“I mean nickel novels. ‘Dick Dashaway’ and ‘Bull’s-Eye Bob’ and them. -Ain’t you goin’ to have none o’ them?” - -“I think not,” replied Joe drily. “You see, if we kept them we might -not attend to business we’d be so busy reading them.” - -The irony was lost on Walter, however. “That’s so. They’re swell -novels, take it from me. There’s one of ’em――Oh, gee, there’s a guy -wants to be dropped!” And Walter disgustedly returned to his car, -slammed the door and shot upward. - -“What time is it?” asked Jack. “My watch has stopped.” - -“Nearly half-past four,” replied Joe. “I wonder who will be our first -customer.” - -“Maybe there won’t be one! Say, we’ve forgotten the money box.” - -“I know. But we don’t need to put that out except when we’re not here. -We――we might see how it looks, though.” - -Joe went behind, produced a japanned tin box with a slot in the lid and -a small brass padlock on the hasp and set it on the showcase. On the -front of the box was printed in white letters: “Help yourself and drop -the money here.” - -“How does it look?” he asked. - -“All right. But, say, Joey, wouldn’t it be a joke if someone -absent-mindedly walked off with the box some day?” - -“The funniest kind of a joke!” - -“How would it do to chain it?” continued Jack. - -“Well, it would look a bit funny, wouldn’t it, to trust folks as to put -their money in the box and then chain the box down?” - -“I don’t see――――” began Jack. But just then an elevator descended, the -door opened, and out walked Mr. Adams. - -“Ready for business, eh, boys? Well, you look very nice, very nice, -indeed. Hm; cigars, cigarettes, magazines, candy――quite a stock of -goods. Got any Vista de Isla cigars? I see you haven’t, though. It -might pay you to keep a box, boys. I run out of them now and then -and I might as well get them from you as send around to the club for -them. Well, I’ll take a _Recorder_, I guess. Have to patronise home -industries, you know.” - -Mr. Adams laid down his two pennies and took a paper from the pile. -Then: - -“Hello,” he said, “you’ve got the Springfield paper, eh? Good idea. -I’ll take that. And Cleveland and Cincinnati and――Well, you’re -enterprising! Are these today’s? Guess I’ll take the Cincinnati paper, -too. Will you have these regularly?” - -“Yes, sir, and others besides; Chicago and Pittsburg and probably New -York.” - -Mr. Adams viewed Joe curiously across the counter. “You ought to get -on, my boy,” he said finally as he counted out an additional ten cents. -“You’re the first person in this city ever thought of keeping a Chicago -paper. I don’t know that you’ll ever sell one, but you certainly -deserve to. Business good so far?” - -“Well,” replied Joe, with a twinkle, “we’ve sold three newspapers for -twelve cents.” - -“Eh? Oh, then I’m the first customer, am I? Quite an honour, I’m -sure. I’ll have to continue my patronage, boys. Good luck to you and -good-night.” - -A few minutes later the exodus from the building began and no one -passed out of the building without pausing to look at the news-stand, -whether he purchased or not. But many did purchase. The pile of evening -papers went fast and long before the building had emptied itself Joe -had to make a hurried trip down to the _Recorder_ Building and get a -new supply. Several sales of cigars and cigarettes were made as well, -while a young lady typewriter smilingly purchased a box of candy. The -only department of the establishment not patronised was the magazine -department, and when, at six, they closed up shop for the night, Jack -remedied that by buying a copy of a monthly devoted to scientific -achievements. - -Before they went they counted their receipts and found that they -totalled three dollars and ten cents. Just how much of that amount -represented profit they could not reckon off-hand, but they were -very well satisfied with the result of a little more than an hour’s -business. After everything had been stowed away under the counter and -locked up for the night the partners took themselves off, arm in arm, -looking as much as possible like prosperous merchants. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -MR. CHESTER YOUNG - - -The Adams Building News Stand prospered from the first. There was -never a doubtful moment. On Thursday business started off with a rush -and when, just before half-past eight, Joe and Jack had to hurry -unwillingly away to school, even Joe, now the more pessimistic of the -two, had to acknowledge that success seemed assured. After school they -flew back again to discover that the stand was well-nigh exhausted -of aught save magazines and that even those were half gone! They -had placed what they supposed to be a sufficient supply of cigars, -cigarettes, and tobacco on top of the case, but one cigar-box was -utterly empty, another held but three cigars, all but two packages of -cigarettes had disappeared, and the candy was down to the final layer -of boxes! The morning papers had been pretty nearly sold out before -they had left, and so the sight of the empty counter to the left of -the showcase produced no surprise. But the inroad made on the rest -of their stock brought gasps of astonishment. An awful fear assailed -the partners and with one accord they grabbed at the cash-box. But its -weight and the pleasant clinking sound it gave out reassured them, and -when, after they had taken account of stock and had reckoned up the -contents of the box, they discovered that not only had every purchase -been honestly paid for, but that someone had dropped in five cents too -much, they viewed each other triumphantly. - -“Eight dollars and fifty-five cents!” exclaimed Jack awedly. “What do -you know about that? And it’s not four o’clock yet!” - -“What’s troubling me,” replied Joe happily, “is how we are to stock -up again by morning! We can get the cigars, all right, but we’ve got -to have more candy and it takes a day or two to get that. And the -magazines are more than half gone, too.” - -“Couldn’t we telegraph to Cincinnati for the candy?” - -“Yes, but I guess we’d better buy some here meanwhile.” - -“But there won’t be any profit on it!” wailed Jack. - -“No, but we can’t help that. We’ve got to keep the stock up. We’ll -telegraph the Cincinnati folks to send fifty pounds this time.” - -“Fifty!” exclaimed Jack doubtfully. “Isn’t that a lot?” - -“Yes, but we’ve sold five pounds already and we don’t want to have to -order oftener than a week. The way they pack it, it keeps fresh for a -long time. Maybe it would be a good idea to put in a few pound boxes of -a better grade. Guess I’d better go around to the cigar folks now and -get a couple more boxes. What was that brand that Mr. Adams mentioned?” - -“Mister Dyler, or something like that,” answered Jack. “I didn’t get -it.” - -“Neither did I. But I guess they’ll know what I’m after. And we ought -to have some more magazines, I suppose, if only for show. It’s most -time for the March numbers to come out, though, and we don’t want to -overstock on the February. I’ll telephone to the news company and ask -them to send a half-dozen with the out-of-town papers. I’d better -hurry, too, or they’ll be here. Where is the nearest telephone? Look -here, Jack, Mr. Adams ought to have a public booth down here in the -lobby.” - -“That’s so. It would be sort of handy for us, wouldn’t it? Do you -suppose he would if we asked him?” - -“I don’t know, but I’m not afraid to ask. Maybe, though, we could -afford one of our own.” - -“At thirty-six dollars a year? You must be crazy!” - -“Is that what it costs? How about a two-party line? Or――――” Joe stopped -and regarded his partner thoughtfully. - -“Out with it!” demanded Jack. - -“Why couldn’t we have a public ’phone――one of those drop-a-nickel -affairs, you know, and set it here by the wall? I wouldn’t be surprised -if we made enough to get our own calls for nothing.” - -“We might,” agreed Jack hesitantly. “How much would we have to pay the -telephone company?” - -“I don’t know. Tomorrow I’ll go around there and ask. Well, I’m off. -Pay the news company when they come. And pay for the _Recorders_, too. -I’ll be back as soon as I can.” - -“Why don’t you go across to the store?” asked Jack. “The telephone’s in -the outer office. Just tell them I said you were to use it.” - -“Too cheeky. I’d rather pay for the call myself. Out of the firm’s -money!” he added laughingly as he disappeared through the revolving -doors. - -He was back some twenty minutes later. “Anything doing?” he asked as he -deposited two bundles on the counter. - -“Lots,” replied Jack. “I sold two cigars, a package of cigarettes, one -_Recorder_, and a box of these mints. And I paid for the evening papers -and a dollar and twelve cents to the news company.” - -“Did you put down what you’d paid out?” - -“No. Should I?” - -“If you don’t we’ll get all mixed up. I’ve got a small blankbook -here and I guess we’d better start in and keep a careful account of -everything. What papers did the news company bring?” - -“All sorts. There’s one from New York. We’ll never sell that, Joey.” - -“I don’t believe we will, but it doesn’t matter. After a week or -so we’ll find out just what papers we can sell, and how many, and -then we’ll confine ourselves to those. They brought the magazines I -asked them to? Oh, I see. All right. Things begin to look a bit more -business-like again. Undo this candy, will you, while I get the cigars -out. By the way, what do you think? That cigar that Mr. Adams smokes is -called Vista de Isla and it costs seventeen dollars and twenty cents a -hundred!” - -“Great Scott! You didn’t buy any, I hope?” - -“Twenty-five; four dollars and thirty cents. Here they are.” - -“Well, but, say, Joey, that’s pretty steep! Suppose he doesn’t buy any?” - -“He will. He said he would. And the chap who sold these says we must -have a wet sponge in the case to keep the cigars moist. So I got one. -Also a five-cent glass dish to put it in. Run upstairs and get it wet, -will you, while I arrange these?” - -“All right. How much do those cigars sell for apiece, Joey?” - -“The man said twenty-five cents, but I don’t suppose Mr. Adams pays -that much at his club for them. I thought I’d ask him. We can sell them -at twenty cents and still make a good profit.” - -“Twenty-five cents!” murmured Jack. “Think of paying that much for one -cigar! And they don’t look much, either.” - -“You happen to be looking at the ten-centers,” laughed Joe. “The others -are here.” He opened the lid of the flat box and revealed a row of -greenish-black cigars quite different from the others in appearance -and aroma. “I guess these are something extra, eh?” - -“Must be, but I think anyone’s a chump to pay a quarter for a cigar,” -responded Jack. “Where’s your old sponge?” - -Business that evening was brisk and the seventy-five copies of the -_Recorder_ disappeared like magic and Jack had to hurry out on the -sidewalk and buy extra copies from a newsboy. “Tomorrow we’ll get -a hundred,” said Joe. “If we don’t sell them they can go back.” By -closing time three dollars and thirty-four cents had been added to -the amount in the box, swelling the total sales for the day to over -fourteen dollars! - -That evening, in Jack’s room, they tried to figure their profits. They -had taken in in the two days exactly seventeen dollars and forty-four -cents. Since, however, they had not been able to enter each sale as -made, it was difficult to arrive at the desired result. They knew -that on each morning or afternoon paper they made a profit of one -cent, that on each half-pound box of candy they made eight cents, that -magazines netted from four to six cents, and that cigars, cigarettes, -and tobacco sold for from ten to twenty-five per cent. above cost. -After much figuring they came to the conclusion that their profits -were represented by about one-quarter of the amount taken in, or -practically four dollars and thirty cents. - -“And at that rate,” said Joe, “we ought to make a monthly profit of -about one hundred and twelve dollars!” - -Jack stared unbelievingly. Then his face fell. “But we’ve got to pay -the rent out of that,” he mourned. - -Joe laughed. “You’re getting to be a regular Shylock, old man! The rent -is only eighteen and that leaves us ninety-four. And besides that we -haven’t to pay any this month.” - -Jack brightened again. “That makes forty-seven dollars a month for each -of us, doesn’t it? And that’s nearly twelve dollars a week! Joey, we’ll -be millionaires before we know it!” - -“Well, it pays better than carrying that newspaper route! Another -thing, Jack; there’s no reason why we shouldn’t do better as time goes -on. We can keep other things, you know, like post-cards and――Look here, -why not get a good line of Amesville views?” - -“Views? What sort of views?” - -“Why, you know; the City Hall and First Presbyterian Church and the -Adams Building, of course, and City Park and all the rest of the -show places. Have them made into post-cards, I mean. There’s a firm -in Detroit that’ll print them for us, and they don’t cost much of -anything.” - -“Sounds all right. I guess there are lots of things we could sell that -we haven’t thought of yet.” - -“There’s one thing I’d like to do,” said Joe thoughtfully, “and that’s -have a special brand of cigars made for us. That is, we don’t have -them made for us exactly. We just select a good brand and then the -factory puts a special label on them. See what I mean? ‘Adams Building -Perfecto’ or something like that. If we got a real good quality, -Jack, and sort of pushed it we might get quite a trade. As far as I -can see there’s no reason why we should depend on the folks in the -building for our trade. If we carry things people want they will come -in from outside for them. It’s just as easy to drop into the Adams -Building lobby as it is to go into a regular store. We might run an -advertisement in the paper after we get ahead a bit. ‘Try the Adams -Building Perfecto, the best ten-cent smoke in the city. Sold at the -Adams Building News-Stand.’” - -“You can think of a lot of ways to spend our profits,” said Jack sadly. - -“Advertising pays,” replied Joe. “Anyway, we haven’t fairly started -yet, Jack. You wait until we’ve been there a couple of months and -I’ll wager our sales will be double what they were today. For one -thing, the building isn’t filled yet. There are lots of offices still -vacant. Every time one is let we get one or two or maybe a half-dozen -prospective customers. Come to think of it, Jack, there’s no reckoning -that, for it isn’t only the folks who occupy offices in the building -who will trade with us, but the folks who have business in the -building, folks who come in and out. I’d like to know, just for fun, -how many go through that door every day. Bet you there’s nearly five -hundred of them, or will be when the offices are all rented! Suppose, -now, that only one out of ten stopped and bought from us, and that they -only spent five cents apiece. That would be――fifty times five――two -dollars and a half right there, besides our regular trade. And I guess -they’d average nearer ten cents apiece than five, too.” - -“How much,” asked Jack, “would we have to pay a clerk to tend the stand -for us?” - -“I’ve thought of that,” replied Joe, “and I guess we could get a young -chap for about six dollars a week.” - -“The fellow we’d get for that price wouldn’t be worth having,” said -Jack sensibly. “I think it would pay us, perhaps not just now, but -after we’d got going well, to hire a real clerk and pay him ten dollars -a week; some fellow who had sold cigars and things like that and who -could make sales; talk things up, you know, and hustle.” - -“I guess you’re right,” answered Joe, after a moment’s thought. “And I -believe it would pay us to do that. I dare say there will be times when -folks won’t have just the right change with them and we’ll lose sales. -Besides, when we get to playing baseball we won’t either of us be able -to be at the stand except just for a few minutes in the morning and -evening. Well, we don’t have to think of that quite yet.” - -“Indeed, we do, though, Joey. In another week we’ll be staying in the -cage until five o’clock or so. Of course, that scheme of putting folks -on their honor has worked all right so far, and I don’t say it wouldn’t -always work, but someone’s got to be at the stand to receive the papers -and pay for them.” - -“We might have a monthly account with the papers and the news company,” -said Joe thoughtfully. “I guess they’d be willing. Still, you’re right, -Jack. We’ll start out and see if we can find a clerk. How would it do -to advertise?” - -“I suppose that’s the only way. Or, hold on, why not look at the -advertisements? Some fellow may be advertising right now for a job like -this. I’ll go down and get the paper and we’ll have a look.” - -They found nothing promising that evening, but two days later they -did, and in response to their reply, left at the _Recorder_ office, -Mr. Chester Young called on them Sunday afternoon. Mr. Young was -a well-dressed, dapper youth of twenty-one or -two who consumed -cigarettes voluminously and had a pair of somewhat shifty black eyes. -The boys didn’t fancy his personality much, but he convinced them -that he knew how to sell goods and presented recommendations from a -former employer in Youngstown that read extremely well. They dismissed -the applicant with a promise to let him hear definitely from them on -Tuesday, and Mr. Chester Young, tucking his bamboo cane under his arm, -took himself smilingly out. - -“What do you think?” asked Jack when the front door had closed. - -“I think,” replied Joe, “that I wouldn’t trust that chap around the -corner.” - -“Me, too. But he looks smart, doesn’t he?” - -“Yes. I think he’d be just the fellow for us if――How much does a small -cash register cost?” - -“Search me! But if we had one of those――――” - -“Yes, I guess Mr. Chester Young wouldn’t have much chance to get -absent-minded with the cash. First of all, though, we’d better get -that man he worked for on the long distance and see what he has to say -about Chester. Then, if it’s all right, we can price a cash register. I -suppose we could get one for twenty-five dollars, don’t you?” - -“I should hope so! Where’d we get the twenty-five?” - -“We’ll have it in another day or two. We’re pretty well stocked up now -and won’t need to buy much for a week, I guess. I wish, though, that -Mr. Chester Young could look you in the eye for more than a thousandth -part of a second!” - -“So do I. And did you see the number of cigarettes he smoked in the -time he was here? Do you suppose he’d help himself from stock?” - -“If he did there wouldn’t be any stock very long,” laughed Joe. “Let’s -go through the advertisements in today’s paper again and see if we -missed any. Seems to me there must be more fellows than Mr. Chester -Young looking for work.” - -“Yes, but most of them want to be book-keepers or chauffeurs. We -may want a chauffeur some day, but not quite yet, and as for a -book-keeper――――” - -“We need one, but can’t afford him,” ended Joe. “You’re right. There’s -nothing here. I guess Chester’s the only thing in sight.” - -Five days later Mr. Chester Young was installed behind the counter in -the Adams Building and at his elbow reposed a neat cash register. The -former employer of Mr. Chester Young had reported most favourably on -that gentleman; indeed, to hear him one could not help wondering why he -had deprived himself of Mr. Young’s services! Joe left the telephone -booth rather puzzled, but there seemed no good reason for doubting the -Youngstown man’s veracity, and they decided after some hesitation to -give the applicant a trial――if they could find a cash register they -could afford to buy! Fortune favoured them. The proprietor of a fruit -store whose business was expanding had one to sell and they closed the -bargain with him at seventeen dollars, thereby securing a machine that -had originally cost forty-five. - -Mr. Chester Young started out well. The sales during his first day at -the stand were better than for any other day, and neither Joe nor -Jack could see that the supply of cigarettes had fallen off unduly. -Perhaps, as Jack pointed out, this was because they did not carry the -kind affected by their clerk! They did not find that Mr. Young improved -much on acquaintance, but since he was attending to business and seemed -to take a genuine interest in the venture they tried to be fair to him -and to like him. In any event, it was lucky that they had found someone -to tend shop, for on the fifteenth day of the month Captain Sam Craig -called the baseball candidates together in the cage in the basement -of the school building, and for a long time after neither Joe nor his -partner had much leisure to devote to their business venture. - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -IN THE BASEBALL CAGE - - -The High School building stood by itself in the centre of a block in -the newer residence district of Amesville. It was a handsome structure -of mottled, yellow-brown brick and sandstone, four stories in height. -On the top floor was a large hall used for meetings and for morning -drill. When, some six years before, the building had been planned those -in charge of the work had believed that in providing that hall and -supplying it with a modest amount of gymnastic paraphernalia they were -providing liberally and for all time. To their surprise, no sooner was -the building occupied than demands came for additional contrivances, -and no sooner had those demands been satisfied than that troublesome -body, the Alumni Association, put forth a plea for a baseball cage in -the basement! It was over a year before the cage materialised, and -another year before shower-baths and lockers were installed, but at the -time of our story those things were long-established facts and youthful -Amesville was deriding the cage as too small and the shower-baths as -out of style! - -The basement of the school building was but half underground, and -numerous windows supplied light on one side and one end of the cage. -But in February the days were still short and the light did not last -long, especially when, as on the fifteenth, the sun was hidden by -dull clouds. Since, however, the first week of baseball practice was -confined to setting-up exercises and dumb-bell work, light was not of -great consequence. - -Exactly thirty-two boys reported that afternoon at a quarter to four in -the cage. Of this number some fourteen or fifteen were holdovers from -last season’s First and Second Teams, fellows like Sam Craig, “Buster” -Healey, Sidney Morris, Toby Williams, Gordon Smith, and Jack Strobe. -Tom Pollock was not present, since his duties at the store in which -he was employed frequently kept him from participation in preliminary -work. The coach, Mr. Talbot, was a wide-awake-looking man of some -twenty-eight years, a former high school player and now a lawyer who, -in spite of a growing practice, found time every year to take the -baseball players in hand. Today Mr. Talbot gathered the candidates -together and spoke energetically and to the point. - -“I’m sorry not to see more candidates,” he said. “Some of the fellows -think that they can keep away until we get outdoors and then report. -Well, they can, but I give them fair warning that they will find -themselves handicapped. This indoor work isn’t designed just to keep -you fellows out of mischief in the afternoons. It’s real stuff. It’s -important. You can’t go out on the field and make any sort of a showing -if your muscles are bound. That’s what this indoor practice is for, to -limber up your muscles, train your eye, get your brain working. Some -few of you have been playing hockey, and that’s good preparation for -what’s ahead, but most of you haven’t done a thing since last Fall -and your muscles are tied up in knots. First thing, then, is to get -so you can use them without hurting them, and so, before you touch a -baseball or a bat, you’ll have a week――maybe two――of setting-up drill -and dumb-bell exercises, and, now and then, a run outdoors when the -ground gets in shape. It isn’t interesting, I know, but it’s necessary, -and every one of you can help yourself a lot if you’ll keep in mind -all the time that what you’re doing you’re doing for a purpose and not -just to pass the time. When you stretch a muscle I want you to keep -your mind on that. Don’t merely go through the motions thinking about -the moving picture show you saw last night or wondering how soon you’ll -get through. Put your mind on what you’re doing. Say to yourself, ‘I’m -flexing these muscles to make them strong and supple.’ It will tell -later on. If you don’t believe me, ask the fellows who have tried it -before. Now I’ll ask you to form in lines across the floor, just as you -do upstairs for morning drill. That’s the idea. I guess most of you -know the drill. Those who don’t will watch me and learn it. All right, -fellows. Attention! - -“I can see that a good many of you don’t know the position called -for. It’s the position of the soldier. I supposed you learned that -in morning drill. Heels on a line, now, and close together, and feet -turned out at an angle of forty-five degrees. Knees straight, but not -locked. Stand straight from the hips. Put your shoulders back, arching -your chest a little. Let your arms hang naturally, elbows back, hands -slightly to the rear of the trousers seam. Some of you look as if you -were frozen. Get out of it! Ease up! You, third from the left in the -second row, relax a little. That’s better. Now, then, heads erect, -chins in, eyes ahead. There you are. Probably some of you are finding -the position a bit uncomfortable, which shows that you need just the -exercise you’re going to get here. First exercise, fellows. Remaining -at attention, bend the head back as far as it will go and then forward. -Exercise! One――two――three――four――five――six――seven――eight! Attention! -Now, from side to side, keeping the neck muscles tense. First to the -right as far as you can comfortably go and then to the left. Exercise! -Right――left――right――left――right――left――right――left! Attention! - -“Keep your stomach in, Williams. That’s better. Second exercise, -fellows. Raise your arms in front of you, palms down. Now stretch them -sidewise, turning the palms up, keeping the muscles tense always. -Exercise! One――two――three――four――five――six――seven――eight! Attention! -Now relax the muscles and swing the arms backward and forward like -this. Exercise!... Now your shoulders. Muscles tense. Move them -forward, then up, then back, then down into position again. Get that? -Try it. Exercise! One――two――――” - -And so it went for thirty minutes, until, in spite of numerous brief -intervals of rest, more than half of those present were out of breath -and aching in all sorts of unaccustomed places! Joe, for one, had -never realised that he had so many muscles in his body as were called -into play this afternoon! The exercises ended with the body-lift while -lying face-downwards, and by that time even the more seasoned of the -candidates were ready to quit. Mr. Talbot viewed the flushed faces with -satisfaction. - -“That’s all for today. Tomorrow we’ll try more. After that we’ll use -the bells. Now give your names to Mifflin――Oh, he isn’t here? Well, -I’ll take them. After that get under the shower and don’t stand around -too much. It’s easy to take cold when your pores are open. Tomorrow -we’ll start promptly at four. Try not to be late, please. Names, now.” - -So it went every afternoon for a week. A half-dozen more martyrs joined -the squad in that space of time. Gradually some of the first exercises -were eliminated from the programme and the dumb-bell drill took their -place. That dumb-bell work certainly gave surprising results, as Joe -confided to Jack one evening as they hurried from school to the Adams -Building. “I can turn my wrists in all sorts of ways,” laughed Joe. -“They’re beginning to feel as if they didn’t have any bones in them!” - -“A few days ago I felt as if I didn’t have anything but bones,” replied -Jack. “We’re almost through with this business, thank goodness. If the -weather is all right about Saturday morning you’ll see us loping across -the landscape, Joey. Bat is foxy about that.” Jack chuckled. “He always -has a press of business when it comes to taking a hike!” - -“So would I if I was coaching,” laughed Joe. “Wonder if he wouldn’t -like me to stay behind and help him!” - -“Ask him! I dare you to!” - -Jack’s prediction proved right. On Thursday of that week the weather -turned warm and windy and the ground, which had been like a wet sponge, -dried so that it was possible to set foot to it without going in to the -ankle. Sam Craig took charge and, lightly attired, the squad followed -him over the better part of a two-mile journey that led across fields -and over walls and, finally, back to town by the road. They alternated -walking with jogging, but there was no let-up save for some five or six -fellows who gave out before the romp was over. On the following Monday -the first baseball appeared in the cage, and after a short setting-up -drill and a brief session with the wooden dumb-bells the candidates -were lined up on opposite sides of the cage and the ball was passed -from side to side. - -“Swing your arms, fellows,” instructed the coach. “Act as though you -were going to throw the ball over the building. Get all your muscles -into play. Don’t hurry it, Smith. Slow and easy. That’s the idea. I -want you all to get so you can put the ball squarely into the next -fellow’s hands without making him move out of place for it.” - -Later two more balls were started going, and then the idea was to -pass back and forth as quickly as possible, trying to catch the other -fellows unawares. That was fun, and the cage was soon ringing with -laughter. Mr. Talbot, taking his place at one side of the floor, -enjoyed it as much as any of them. A few days after that the battery -candidates were given a half-hour to themselves and practice for -the rest began at four-fifteen. Occasionally Tom Pollock reported -and pitched to Sam Craig or to Jack Speyer, who was slated as Sam’s -understudy. With Tom in the pitching practice were Toby Williams and -Carl Moran. Toby Williams was an able substitute for Tom, but Moran, -who was only sixteen, had a lot to learn. Joe frequently went early to -the cage and watched the pitching staff at work, and his admiration for -Tom Pollock increased vastly as he noted the ease and certainty with -which that youth shot the ball into Sam Craig’s waiting glove. - -Batting practice began about the first of March. A net was stretched -near the further end of the cage and the candidates took turns facing -either Williams or Moran; infrequently, Tom Pollock. They were supposed -to merely tap the ball, but sometimes they became over-eager and the -sphere would go crashing into the iron netting at the other end of -the cage and the pitcher, arising from the floor, would pathetically -request the batters to “Cut out the slugging!” - -One or two of the early volunteers dropped out of the squad for one -reason or another and their places were taken by newcomers. By the -first week in March, at which time, if the spring was a normal one, -they usually got out of doors, the baseball candidates were in hard and -fit condition. Already Coach Talbot was able to form a fairly correct -idea of the possibilities of most of the forty-one or -two fellows who -now comprised the squad. George Mifflin, the manager, was custodian of -a mysterious book, in which, opposite the various names, was set down -much interesting information which the fellows would have given much to -read. In this, at Bat’s command, Mifflin set down each day little marks -and figures after the names, memoranda practically understandable by -Bat alone. Now and then came one of those cross-country jaunts――there -were five of them that season――and now and then the squad was taken -outside, where the footing was not too soft, and allowed to throw and -catch. But with these exceptions, no outdoor work was indulged in until -the second week in March, for on the fifth a miniature blizzard swept -down the valley, undoing the good work performed by a fortnight of mild -weather and drying winds. That blizzard had a lot of harsh things said -about it. It was probably as unpopular a visitation of snow and sleet -and ice and, subsequently, rain and slush as ever visited Amesville! -But there was nothing for it but to wait for better conditions and, in -the meanwhile, continue the drudgery of indoor practice, a drudgery -that had grown distasteful to everyone by this time. - -Joe firmly believed that the work in the cage had done him a lot of -good, even aside from the matter of physical conditioning. He had -found that he could meet the ball in front of the batting net and -roll it across the floor about as often as most of the fellows, and -he was perhaps more impatient than any of them to get out on the turf -and discover whether his hitting ability had really improved. Jack, -himself a clever batter, predicted that Joe was destined to become one -of the team’s best hitters that Spring. - -“You’ve got it all over ‘Handsome Frank’ already,” Jack declared. “If -you can cover the bag half as well as he can you’ll stand a James H. -Dandy chance to cop that position, Joey.” - -“Foley’s been doing fully as well as I have at the net,” responded Joe -doubtfully. “I don’t believe I can beat him out, Jack. He looks like -a pretty good player. He’s built for a first baseman, too, with his -height and reach and――and everything.” - -“Well, I don’t see that he’s got so terribly much on you in height, old -man. And as for reach, why, even if your arms aren’t quite as long as -his, you’re a lot spryer on your pins. You’ve got a mighty nice, easy -way of pulling them in to you, Joey. I hope you make it, that’s all I -hope.” - -“So do I, but, as I say, Foley――――” - -“Oh, Foley’s no wonder, after all. That’s what you want to get into -that solid ivory dome of yours. You’ve begun to think that you _can’t_ -beat him; that’s your trouble. What you want to do is to make up your -mind that you’re better than he is and that he’s got to prove the -contrary. That’s the way I beat out Joe Kenney, last year. Joe had been -holding down the job for two years when I got it into my head that I’d -like to play out there in the left garden. So I said to myself, said -I: ‘Jack, you may not think it now, but you’re a perfectly marvellous -left fielder, one of the best, regular first chop, whatever that is! -Try and accustom yourself to the fact and hold your head up and stick -your chest out. And if anyone asks you don’t hesitate to tell them.’ -Well, sir, in a little while I had myself hypnotised into acting like a -regular fielder! When I’d meet Kenney I’d look at him pityingly and say -to myself, ‘You poor old has-been, you haven’t the ghost of a chance -this spring. I’m sorry for you, but it’s my turn.’ I got to believing -it, and so did Kenney! About the middle of the season Kenney was -sitting on the bench and I was pulling ’em down out there. Of course, -a slight ability to hit the ball now and then had something to do with -it, but a lot of it was just conning myself into thinking I was the -real goods. You try it, Joey. It’s a great little trick.” - -“You’re a silly ape,” laughed Joe. “The reason you ousted the other -chap was because you batted around three hundred and he didn’t. If I -bat over two hundred I’ll be doing well.” - -“Of course, you will! How many on the team last year hit for over -that, do you suppose? I don’t believe there were four altogether. Two -hundred, say you, slightingly! Two hundred’s good batting for chaps of -our age, and don’t forget it. And my average last year wasn’t three -hundred; it was two-ninety-three. I want credit for those seven points -you stuck on!” - -“Foley doesn’t like me,” observed Joe after a moment’s silence. “You -can see that.” - -“Why should he?” Jack demanded. “Don’t you suppose he knows that you’re -after his place and that you stand a pretty good chance of getting it? -What do you expect him to do? Hug you?” - -“No, but――Oh, well, let’s forget it. I wish, though, we could get out -of doors. When do you suppose we will?” - -“In exactly four days,” responded Jack without hesitation. “You see if -I’m not right. Predicting’s the easiest thing I do.” - -The prediction proved correct. - - - - -CHAPTER X - -STRIKING A BALANCE - - -It is not to be supposed that devotion to baseball dulled the partners’ -interest in their business venture. That was still absorbingly -exciting. Every morning at a little before eight either Joe or Jack, or -sometimes both of them, went to the Adams Building and superintended -the opening of the stand for the day’s business. The counter was -dressed with its magazines and boxes of confections and newspapers, -the cash register set up and unlocked, and business was talked over -with Young. In the afternoon, usually a little after five, both boys -returned and Young, giving an account of his stewardship, went off. -Young had turned out very satisfactorily and his employers were a -little ashamed of their suspicions regarding his integrity. It only -proved, Joe declared, that it didn’t pay to judge a fellow by his -looks. Young was a smart salesman, polite in an off-hand way, and, so -far at least, had neither caused shrinkage in the cigarette stock or -made away with a penny of cash. Consequently both Joe and Jack tried -to be friendly with him. That they couldn’t quite succeed was not for -the want of trying. There was just one thing that they found objections -to, and that was the fact that the news-stand was fast becoming a -favourite loafing place for a number of the town’s “sports,” men and -boys of about Young’s age who had no apparent occupation save that of -smoking cigarettes. They had spoken to Young and he had agreed to do -what he could to keep the fellows away, but matters did not seem to -mend and the partners daily feared to receive a protest from Mr. Adams. - -Meanwhile the stand had branched out into new avenues of trade. The -“Adams Building Cigar” had appeared on the market and had met with -favour and rapidly increasing sales. A small advertisement in the -morning and evening papers had drawn attention to the cigar and to the -news-stand and the latter was no longer dependent on the occupants of -the building alone for patronage. The little shop became a popular -place and trade increased until, especially during the noon hour, it -was all Young could do to attend to customers. - -A week or so after they had started in business they had been called -on by a young man who had proclaimed himself rather importantly to -be a representative of the _Evening Recorder_. The result of his -visit had been a half-column story in the next day’s paper of the -novel store where customers helped themselves and paid on honour. It -was a big advertisement for the little establishment and for several -days afterwards folks came in just to see it and, usually, purchased -something if only because of the novelty. - -Post-cards, too, were added, a series of six views of Amesville scenes, -and attained such popularity that Joe’s original order had to be -quickly duplicated. The picture of the Adams Building especially sold -like hot cakes. Puzzles were another addition to the stock, ingenious -contrivances of metal or wood or tin that could be dropped in the -pocket and that sold for exactly double what they cost when purchased -from the news company. The cigar trade, however, was what accounted -for most of the business done. The little showcase was no longer too -large for its contents. On the contrary, it became more of a problem -every week to find room in it for the goods they wished to display. -Instead of five brands of cigars they now offered twelve, and of each -brand they had to keep in stock from two to four sizes. Cigarettes and -smoking tobaccos had also multiplied, while the top of the showcase -held an assortment of gum, candies, and small confections, as well as -the revolving post-card rack. In fact, the small space was already -overcrowded and the boys had been for some time contemplating making -a request to Mr. Adams for a shelf across the back to hold the cash -register and the overflow from the case. - -One evening Joe and Jack arrived at the building in a pelting rain -which had appeared without warning, and the exclamations of dismay -which he overheard as the feminine population of the building faced -the alternative of getting wet or being late for supper put a new idea -in Joe’s mind. The next day a sign appeared over the stand: “Umbrellas -for Rent.” They put in a dozen cheap cotton umbrellas which, if not -much to look at, performed their mission satisfactorily. Customers, if -they worked in the building, merely left their names, paid a quarter -and were supplied with protection from the rain. In the course of time -the dozen dwindled to five or six, but by that time each had paid for -itself thrice over and instead of wasting effort in recovering the -missing ones Joe bought more. About this time an automatic telephone -instrument was installed on the counter and proved a great convenience -to the boys and to others as well. - -At the end of the first four weeks of business the partners went over -their books――or book, to be more accurate. They found that they had -expended for stock, rent, clerk’s wages and incidentals the sum of -$226.50, that they had taken in $324.17, and that their net profit was -$97.67. While less than the estimate Joe had made, the amount was held -to be satisfactory, for Joe’s estimate had taken no account of clerk’s -wages and they were paying Mr. Chester Young ten dollars a week. -Something like thirty per cent. profit ought to have satisfied anyone! - -They paid off all indebtedness――there were no accounts save that with -the news company, which they settled weekly――set aside the amount due -Mr. Adams for rent to date and halved the balance, each receiving as -his share the sum of $48.83. The odd cent was left in the treasury! -Then Joe paid back to his partner the borrowed thirty dollars, with -interest at six per cent., although Jack insisted that Joe should -wait until the end of the next month at least. But Joe preferred to -get square, he declared, and proceeded to do so by paying most of the -eighteen dollars remaining to him to Aunt Sarah for board and rent. - -Jack’s father laughingly told them that he thought they had been in -rather a hurry to divide the profits and that it might have been a good -idea to have left a portion of the money in the business. Joe, however, -explained that they would have to buy nothing for nearly a week, except -the newspapers, and by that time they would have accumulated more -profits. “You see, sir, we’re taking in about fifteen dollars a day on -an average, and of that nearly four dollars and a half is clear profit. -So we won’t have to keep any balance on hand.” - -“I see,” said Mr. Strobe gravely. “And what do you intend to do with -all the money you make, boys?” - -“I’m going to put mine in the bank, I guess,” answered Jack. “I’ve -tried to think of something to spend it for, but I can’t!” - -“And how about you, Joe?” - -“I think I’ll start a bank account, too, sir, but I won’t be able to -for another month at least. I pay three dollars a week to Aunt Sarah, -you know, and I’d like to send a little money to my mother.” - -“You could have done that now if you hadn’t paid back that thirty,” -said Jack reproachfully. - -“I know, but I like to feel that I’m squared up with everyone. When I -get, say, five hundred in the bank, if I ever do, I’d like to invest -it in something, Mr. Strobe. Could I, do you suppose?” - -“Certainly. An excellent idea, Joe. You might find a small mortgage -through the bank, or you could buy a few shares of some safe stock that -would pay from four and a half to five per cent. You’ll get only three -and a half from the savings bank. When you get ready to invest you let -me know and I’ll help you find something.” - -One Saturday evening Joe boarded a train and went to Columbus to visit -his mother, spending a very pleasant Sunday with her and returning to -Amesville late that night. - -If there was anyone even distantly connected with Joe’s business -venture who did not thoroughly approve of it, it was Miss Sarah -Teele. Aunt Sarah was doubtless pleased that Joe was earning money; -she had a very healthy admiration for folks who could do that, and a -correspondingly poor opinion of those who couldn’t; but the fly in -Aunt Sarah’s ointment was the fact that her nephew’s prosperity was -due to the sale of cigars and cigarettes and tobacco. That rather -spoiled it all in her eyes, for she was a fervidly outspoken foe to -tobacco in all forms, and considered the use of it closely akin to -the use of intoxicating liquors. Aunt Sarah made one exception. A -decoction of tobacco and water was an excellent preventive of bugs on -her window plants! If she could have had her way she would have limited -its use to that purpose. Consequently, from the first, she had viewed -Joe’s venture askance, hinting darkly that money earned by catering -to the vice of smoking was tainted money and would bring no benefit -to its possessor. Joe argued with her politely, but was quite unable -to shake her conviction. In the end they agreed to disagree, Aunt -Sarah comforting herself with Joe’s solemn promise not to allow the -association with what Aunt Sarah termed “the filthy weed” to undermine -his morals to the extent of causing him to smoke. For some weeks Joe -frequently found Aunt Sarah regarding him anxiously as though seeking -for signs of moral degeneracy produced by traffic in the obnoxious -article. Not discovering any, however, Aunt Sarah accepted the state -of affairs with the best philosophy she could command, and, to Joe’s -satisfaction, said no more about it. When he announced the result of -that first month’s balance his aunt’s struggle between pleasure and -disapproval was almost ludicrous. - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -HANDSOME FRANK - - -The Saturday forenoon following their conversation regarding Frank -Foley found Joe and his chum leaning against the counter in Cummings -and Wright’s hardware store. Jack was purchasing a new sweater and Joe -was assisting at the task. Joe would have liked just such a garment -as Jack was choosing, himself, but the next division of profits was a -long way off and until that occurred he was bound to be in straitened -circumstances. Jack had virtually decided on a handsome brown sweater -with a broad band of blue across the chest and Tom Pollock, who had -momentarily absented himself to sell a “Junior League” ball to a -grammar school youth, returned to inquire: - -“This one, Jack?” - -Jack nodded doubtfully. “I guess so, Tom. It’s sort of heavy for -spring, but I suppose I’d better buy one that’ll be all right for next -fall, too.” - -Tom agreed, adding: “The new uniforms will be along next week, I think. -They’re going to be the best ever. I’m getting them from a different -maker this year and he’s putting a lot better material into them. -You’ll need one, I suppose, Faulkner.” - -Joe smiled “I’d like to think so,” he replied, “but I’m not counting on -it.” - -“You might as well,” said Jack. “You’ll get in as a sub, anyway. Don’t -you say so, Tom?” - -“I hope so. I haven’t seen Faulkner work, as a matter of fact, Jack. -Anyhow, with all due respect to Bat, I think it’s the outdoor work that -shows a chap up.” - -“That’s what I say,” agreed Jack. “Fellows who can lay down the cutest, -darlingest little bunts on the cement floor swing like gates when they -get out on the turf and have the sky in front of them instead of the -wall of the cage. I’ve seen it happen often.” - -“Still,” demurred Joe, “it seems to me all that work indoors must be of -some value. Don’t you consider it is, Pollock?” - -“Oh, yes, I do. I think it’s fine for getting fellows in shape and on -edge, especially for the new chaps. What I mean is that when it comes -to actual playing the conditions out of doors are so different that a -fellow has to practically start all over again. At least that’s been -my experience. I’m talking of batting and fielding, you understand, -and not pitching. A pitcher can get his wing in shape anywhere there’s -room. Although, at that, I think working in the air is away ahead of -working down there with the steam pipes.” - -“Do you think we’ll get out next week?” inquired Jack. - -“Yes, I wouldn’t be surprised if we started Monday. Sam tells me the -field’s in pretty good shape; a bit soft in places, but nothing much.” -Tom chuckled as he snapped the string around the bundle and laid it in -front of Jack. “Mr. Hall told a funny yarn one day in here, fellows. -You don’t know him, maybe, Faulkner, but you will soon. He’s a dandy -chap, and a double-dyed ‘fan.’” - -“I’ve seen him,” replied Joe. “He knows the right place to buy cigars.” - -“Well, he told one day about a coach they had at college when he was -a freshman. I forget what college he went to; Sam could tell you. -But it seems that they had an awfully wet spring that year and the -diamond was on a rather low piece of ground, anyway, and it wouldn’t -dry out for them. So this coach got the idea of having the players -wear rubbers! Said it would be dangerous to have them work on such wet -ground without them because they might get rheumatism and sciatica and -grippe and various other things, and he didn’t intend to lose half his -team through illness just when it was needed most. So he sent in a -requisition to the athletic committee or whoever attended to purchasing -supplies――probably the manager――for three or four dozen pairs of -rubbers of assorted sizes. There was a lot of argument about the -expense and finally the coach got his dander up and bought the rubbers -himself, and one day the fellows put them on and went out for their -first practice on the field. The field was as soft as mush and whenever -you put your foot down it went out of sight as far as your shin-bones! -Mr. Hall said it was the funniest thing he ever saw. About every man in -college was out to see what they called the ‘Gumshoe Nine,’ and they -almost laughed themselves to death. Every time a fielder started after -a ball he’d leave one or both of his rubbers sticking in the mud and -have to go back and hunt for them. Mr. Hall said that at one time there -were three pairs of rubbers sticking out of the base-path between -second base and the plate where the runners had left them in their -hurry to get around! Finally the coach sent back to town and got a box -of elastic bands and made the fellows snap them around their ankles -over the rubbers. Practice went better after that, but there was almost -a riot once, when one chap, who had stolen second, went back to get his -rubbers and the second baseman tagged him out!” - -The laughter of Tom’s audience was interrupted by the opening of the -door and the advent of Frank Foley. Handsome Frank quite deserved -the title this morning. For a day or two there had been unmistakable -indications of spring, and Foley had responded to them today by donning -a Norfolk suit of very light homespun material with knickerbockers, a -pair of very green golf stockings, and a cap that matched his suit. A -pale heliotrope “sport shirt” from under whose flaring collar emerged -a vividly green scarf completed the costume, except that he was, -naturally, appropriately shod with brown rubber-soled shoes. Even Tom -was a bit taken back by the radiance of the vision which sought the -athletic goods department, and his “Hello, Frank,” sounded rather -feeble. The other boys nodded, Jack adding a murmured salutation to -the nod. Foley returned the greetings with a remarkable absence of -self-consciousness and joined the group. - -“What about a baseman’s glove, Tom?” he asked. “Anything new in that -line this spring?” - -“No, nothing much different,” was the answer as Tom pulled some -boxes from a shelf. “You had one of these last year, didn’t you?” -he continued, placing a glove on the counter. Foley examined it -indifferently. - -“Yes, that’s like the one I’ve got now. I thought maybe there was -something new on the market. How’s everything, Jack?” - -“Pretty good, Frank. My eyes are troubling me a bit, though.” - -“What’s the matter with them? They seemed all right at practice -yesterday.” - -“I don’t know.” Jack gravely blinked. “They seem sort of weak. I guess -it’s the glare that hurts them, Frank. You couldn’t turn your coat -collar up, could you?” - -“Oh, that’s the idea?” said Foley calmly. “Don’t you like what I wear, -Jack?” - -“Oh, I like it, all right, but my eyes sort of go back on me. What are -you impersonating, Frank, a custard pie?” - -“You chaps have a lot of fun with my clothes, don’t you?” inquired -Foley good-naturedly enough. “I don’t mind, though. I’d certainly -hate to go around looking like a tramp, the way some of you do.” Foley -seated himself on the counter, swinging his brightly-hued legs, and -viewed Jack smilingly. “Any come-back to that?” he inquired. - -“There’s a come-back from me,” said Tom quietly. “Gentlemen will not, -others must not, sit on the counters, Frank.” - -“Oh, all right; I’ll try to stand up a bit longer. I don’t believe -you’ve got anything there I want, Tom.” He glanced unenthusiastically -at the several gloves displayed. “I’ll use the one I’ve got. It went -all right last year and I guess it’s still good.” - -“You won’t need a glove much this spring,” said the irrepressible Jack. -“They’re not worn on the bench, Frank.” - -Foley winked untroubledly. “Don’t worry about me, old chap. I may not -be any McInnes, you know, but I never noticed much resemblance between -you and Tris Speaker. You watch out that you don’t keep that bench warm -yourself.” - -“Frank, you know very well,” replied Jack severely, “that when it comes -to playing baseball I’ve got it all over you. You’re not a bad first -baseman when you’ve got time for it, but you know mighty well you -can’t bat over a hundred. I like you, Frank; I appreciate your many -fine qualities, and I just love your picturesqueness, but I don’t just -see you holding down that first sack beyond the middle of March. I’m -saying this to you so you won’t be too awfully disappointed when you -lose your job.” - -“Thanks.” Foley laughed amusedly. “Just who is the coming wonder that -gets my position, Jack? Is it Faulkner here? Is he telling you how good -you are, Faulkner?” - -“He’s just talking,” replied Joe uncomfortably. - -“I’m not saying who it is, Frank,” said Jack. “There are two or three -who look good to me in your place. I’d be sorry to see you go, though. -I certainly do like you, Frank.” - -“Yes, you do――like poison,” responded Foley with a grin. “Tell you what -I’ll do, Jack. I’ll bet you anything you like that I’ll play in more -games――contests with outside teams, I mean――than you do this spring. -Want to take that?” - -“Ger-ladly, old sport! I’ll bet you”――Jack’s eyes twinkled about the -cases and shelves――“I’ll bet you one of those nice leather bat-cases, -Frank. I’ve always wanted a bat-case. How much are they, Tom?” - -“A dollar and a quarter and two seventy-five.” - -“I mean the all-leather ones.” - -“Two seventy-five.” - -“That’s the idea. How does that strike you, Frank? Feel like spending -that much to make me happy?” - -“Yes, but I don’t happen to want a bat-case, thanks. Think of something -else.” - -“Then I’ll buy you a couple of pairs of lavender gloves to wear to the -parties.” - -“Quit fooling and say something. What do I get if I win?” - -“What do you want that doesn’t cost more than the bat-bag?” - -“I don’t know. Leave it that I’m to pick out anything I like up to that -amount, eh?” - -“Certainly. Gentlemen, you’ve heard the terms of the wager. If, at the -end of the season, Frank has played in more games than I have he comes -in here and goes the limit――up to two dollars and three-quarters. If, -on the other hand――――” - -“Why do I have to buy the thing here?” asked Frank. - -“Because I want to see my friend Mr. Pollock make a little money. Tom -ought to get something out of it, Frank.” - -“Oh, all right. I’ll find something I want, I guess.” - -“As I was saying when so rudely interrupted,” resumed Jack, “if, on the -other hand, Frank plays in no more games than I do he comes across with -one of those perfectly beautiful and useless bat-bags which Tom prices -at two dollars and seventy-five cents and which you can get from the -mail-order house for a dollar sixty-nine.” - -“You try it,” laughed Tom. - -“I don’t need to. The cost doesn’t interest me a bit. Well, that is the -wager, gentlemen. May the best man win――so long as it’s me. Come on, -Joey. So long, Tom. Bye, Frank. By the way, which way are you going -from here?” - -“You wait around and find out, old chap.” - -“Won’t tell? Sorry. I wanted to stand on the corner and see you go by.” - -“What did you do that for?” remonstrated Joe when they were on the -sidewalk again. - -“Do what? Make that bet? Oh, just for fun. Besides, I’m pretty sure to -win it.” - -“I didn’t mean the bet, you chump. I meant why did you rag him like -that? He thinks you meant that I’m the one who’s to beat him out at -first.” - -“So you are,” answered Jack calmly. “As for why I did it, I did it -because I couldn’t help it, Joey. Frank gives me a severe pain every -time I meet him and I just can’t resist the temptation to have a little -fun with him.” - -“He took it all right,” said Joe. “He’s good-natured, I guess.” - -“You guess again,” said Jack grimly. “He’s good-natured when he knows -it would look silly to get mad, but he’s got a disposition like -a――a――What is it that has a disposition?” - -“You!” laughed Joe. “You’ve got a nasty one at times.” - -“Meaning just now? Was I specially rude, Joey? Maybe I was a bit nasty. -Well, never mind. You can’t really hurt Handsome Frank’s feelings. If -you could he’d be black-and-blue by this time!” - -“Black and blue are the only things he wasn’t,” said Joe. “He was about -every other colour; buff and green and purple and lavender――――” - -“Shucks! He was dressed real quietly today; almost unostentatiously, so -to speak! You ought to see him when he’s really dolled up! Now, look -here, Joey. If you don’t buckle down and play ball and beat him out of -his position at first I’ll never forgive you.” - -“But, Jack, I can’t play first the way he can!” - -“How do you know? You’ve never seen him play. Besides, you can out-hit -him. Leastways, if you can’t you ought to be ashamed. And it’s batting -that’s going to count this spring, old man. Petersburg has got a line -of good pitchers this year and Bat will be going on the policy that -hits mean runs. So you get your eye peeled, Joey, and win that bet for -me.” - -“I don’t think I’ll ever be much of a batter,” said Joe sadly. - -“Poppycock and piffle! You can hit the merry sphere just as well as -anyone can if you’ll only tell yourself so. Look here, what you want to -do is to go out there and when the ball comes say to yourself, ‘It’s so -big I can’t miss it if I try! Why, it’s a cinch. _Bing!_ That for you, -Mr. Ball!’ Try it and see how well it will work.” - -“You’re great on the psychology stuff, aren’t you?” laughed Joe. - -“I don’t know the gentleman,” answered Jack serenely. “I only know that -no chap ever became a decent batsman by telling himself that he was no -good! Confidence, my friend, confidence! That’s the――er――the password, -no, the keynote, to success! Think it over. Now, let’s go in and see -how much money we’ve taken in this morning. Ah, as usual, Young has his -Roman mob around the place. If he doesn’t make those loafers stay away -we’ll get notice to quit, I’m thinking.” - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -OUTDOOR PRACTICE - - - _BASEBALL_ - - “Candidates report at the field dressed to play at 3:30. - - “CRAIG.” - -This notice met the gaze of Joe on Monday morning as he paused in front -of the bulletin board in the school corridor. Sidney Morris and a -companion came up and read the announcement over his shoulder. - -“That’s good news, Faulkner,” said Sidney. “Last year we were out a -week earlier. By the way, do you know Toby Williams?” - -The boys shook hands and the trio walked together along the corridor. -Williams was a nice-looking chap of about Joe’s age, rather solidly -built, with a natural talent for pitching a baseball that had won for -him the position of Tom Pollock’s understudy, Tom, it was said, showing -Toby everything the former knew in the science so that next year Toby -might come as near as possible to filling Tom’s shoes. There was -still, however, a fairly long road for the younger boy to travel before -he attained Tom Pollock’s standing. - -“You’re trying for the infield, aren’t you, Faulkner?” Toby asked. - -“Yes, but I don’t believe――――” He paused, recalling Jack’s oft-repeated -advice. “I don’t believe I’ll get what I want,” he resumed with assumed -assurance. “The bases look to be pretty well occupied, and I want to -play first or second.” - -Toby seemed impressed, but Sidney laughed as he said, not ill-naturedly: -“There’s nothing like knowing what you want, Faulkner.” - -“And going after it?” asked Joe smilingly. - -Sidney nodded. “That’s right. How’s the business getting on?” - -“Very well, thanks.” - -“We were talking about you the other day, Tom Pollock and Sam Craig and -I,” said Sidney, “and Tom said he thought you were the luckiest chap he -knew, and I guess I agree with him. You’ve been here in Amesville only -a couple of months and you’ve got a good business and are making money -at it. Sam said he guessed luck had less to do with it than pluck, -though.” - -“I think Tom Pollock was nearer right,” replied Joe modestly. “It’s -been mostly luck, I guess.” - -“Jack Strobe’s in that with you, isn’t he?” inquired Toby. - -“Yes, it was Jack put in most of the money to start. About all I had -was the idea!” - -“And the luck,” laughed Sidney. “‘Lucky’ Faulkner is your real name, I -guess. Well, I hope your luck keeps on. If it does, maybe you’ll get -what you want on the team!” - -The gong put an end to the talk and they hurried off to their rooms. -Whether that was the beginning of it Joe never knew, but a month -later he suddenly awoke to the fact that he was very generally known -throughout school as “Lucky” Faulkner! He was inclined to dislike the -nickname at first, since to him it seemed to preclude more desirable -attributes, but Jack insisted that to be called lucky was a great -compliment because, after all, what was called luck was in reality the -reward for skill or forethought or some other quality of merit. Jack -didn’t put it in quite those words, but that was the idea he managed to -convey, and Joe, considering it, became reconciled. It was perhaps just -as well he did, for by that time the nickname had come to stay, and -his approval or disapproval would have had small effect. - -That Monday afternoon it was a gay-hearted lot of fellows who gathered -at the field, which lay some ten blocks north of the high school. To -be out of doors again filled everyone with delight and neither coach -nor captain had any cause for complaint that day on the score of -laziness. The way the ball was sped around was a fair indication of the -candidates’ eagerness. Practice was rudimentary. There was some batting -at the net, with Toby Williams and Carl Moran doing the tossing, a -half-hour of fielding, Coach Talbot hitting to the infield, and Manager -Mifflin knocking fungoes to the outfield, and, finally, a short period -of work on the paths. The weather gave them of its best. The March sun -shone warmly and, although there was still a tinge of winter in the -air, spring was genuinely in possession. The sod was not yet dry and -the base-paths were pretty soft, but no one minded a bit; not even -“Buster” Healey when, in a desperate attempt to get from second to -third on the throw to the plate, he lost his footing and reached the -bag flat on his back. Practice was delayed while most of the infield -scraped the mud from him. - -Joe had a session with Tom Pollock in front of the backstop. Sam Craig -was catching at the plate, Speyer taking the throws for Mifflin, and so -Bat told Joe to get a glove and let Tom pitch to him. Joe was doubtful -of his ability to hold the redoubtable Mr. Pollock, but he got along -very well. Tom used little speed and, although some of the breaks and -hooks were at first confusing, Joe soon discovered that the ball might -be depended on to straighten out before it reached him. After that he -was put on second and handled Sam’s throw-downs fairly well and found -that his own throwing arm was quite equal to the task of snapping the -ball across to first or third or back to the plate. Frank Foley held -down first base today and Joe secretly admired and envied the easy, -finished way in which that tall youth with the long reach handled the -throws. The work was pretty crude, which was natural enough, and Coach -Talbot had plenty to say, but when practice ended at a little before -five everyone was in the best of spirits and the fellows, as they made -their way back home, discussed eagerly the first game of the year, -which was due in less than two weeks. This contest was to be, as usual, -with the Amesville Grammar School nine, and while it was not looked -on as more than an opportunity for practice, still it was anticipated -with pleasure. Grammar School was already predicting what it would do -to High School, and was awaiting the fray with equal eagerness. - -High School had arranged a schedule calling for seventeen games this -Spring, eight of which were to be played away from Amesville. Aside -from Petersburg High School, Amesville High’s real rival in athletics, -whom she played the final game with the last of June, the only notable -foes were Lynton High School and Crowell Academy. There were two games -scheduled with Lynton and one with Crowell. Besides the scheduled -contests there were others which might or might not eventuate; as, -for instance, a game with the nine from the carpet mill and a second, -possibly a third meeting with the grammar school. Until the middle of -May only Saturdays were scheduled, but after that midweek games were -down for the balance of the season. - -Outdoor practice continued uninterruptedly for the rest of the first -week. Then, on Sunday, began a four-day stretch of wretched weather -and the fellows went disgustedly back to the cage. On Sunday it blew -a gale and swept a hard rain from the southwest. On Monday the rain -turned to snow for a while, later changing to sleet and, finally, back -to rain again. Tuesday it drizzled. Wednesday was a day of mist and -fog. Thursday noon the sun came out. But by that time the field was a -quagmire again and all hope of playing the game with Grammar School on -Saturday had to be abandoned. Consequently the contest was put over -until Tuesday at four, and Manager Thad Mifflin, who was popularly -believed to be accountable for weather conditions and the state of the -diamond, found life a burden. - -Meanwhile Joe had performed, if not brilliantly, at least satisfactorily -as a substitute baseman. He had been tried at first, second and third -bases, and, on one occasion, had pulled down flies in centre field. At -the bat he had so far signally failed to distinguish himself. Perhaps he -did as well as most of the substitutes, but he found that trickling -bunts across the floor of the cage was not the same as standing in front -of Tom Pollock, or even Carl Moran, and trying to connect with their -various offerings. The best Joe could expect, or, so he told himself, -was a place on the Second Team――The Scrubs, they called them――when that -was formed. Jack was plainly disappointed in the proficiency of his -chum, although he tried not to show the fact, and never ceased to offer -encouragement. - -“You’ll find your batting eye presently,” Jack would assert stoutly. -“A fellow can’t play decent ball, anyway, until the weather settles -down and gets warm. I never could. Along about the middle of May――――” - -Joe interrupted with a laugh. “Along about the middle of May,” he -replied, “will be a bit late, Jack. If I’m going to do anything this -year I’ll have to do it pretty quick, I’m thinking.” - -“Ye-e-es――I’ll tell you, Joey, the trouble is you don’t go at it right; -batting, I mean.” - -“I suppose I don’t,” owned Joe. “Anyway, I don’t accomplish much.” - -“Try swinging slower. I watched you yesterday. You start your bat away -around behind you and then swing like lightning. Maybe if you’ll take a -short swing and a slow one, just meet the ball, as they say, you might -do better.” - -“Just meeting the ball doesn’t get you hits, though,” demurred the -other. - -“That’s where you’re wrong, old man. Even if you only hold your bat out -still, a hard-pitched ball will bound off it away across the infield. -I think it’s a mistake to try to slug at first; before――well, before -you’ve got where you’re certain, if you see what I mean!” - -“You mean that I ought to get so I can hit the ball before I――before I -hit it!” laughed Joe. - -“Before you try to knock the cover off it, yes. Between you and me, -that’s the reason a lot of chaps don’t hit better than they do,” -continued Jack. “They want to make home-runs or three-baggers, and they -don’t stop to think that a short hit that gets you to first is a lot -better than a home-run that doesn’t happen!” - -“You talk like one of those little blue books,” jeered Joe. “‘How to -Become a Ball-Player’ or ‘The Art of Batting’!” - -“I’m telling you what I’ve learned,” replied Jack unruffledly. “I’m -not much of a player myself, but I’ve kept my eyes open. Look here, -Joey, I’ll tell you what we might do, you and I, and it wouldn’t hurt -either of us a mite. Let’s go down to the cage at recess every noon and -practise. We’ll keep a bat and ball at school and I’ll pitch to you -and you bat, and you can pitch to me and I’ll bat. I don’t mean really -pitch, of course, because I can’t do it; nor you, either; but just -serve ’em up, you know, and let the other fellow see how many he can -hit. Bet you anything you like if we do that long enough we can get so -we can connect with anything! It’s the eye that does the trick, Joey. -It’s getting the eye trained so that, no matter where the ball comes, -you can put the bat in front of it. Want to try it?” - -“I’ll try anything,” responded Joe. “Still, it seems to me all that -batting practice I had in the cage before we went outdoors didn’t do me -much good.” - -“This’ll be different. You know the way you do when you take a tennis -racket and try to keep the ball bouncing against a wall or a floor? -Well, that’s the same idea. It teaches you quickness and sureness, -doesn’t it?” - -“I guess so. All right, we’ll have a go at it tomorrow. Have you a bat -at home?” - -“Yes, and some old balls. I’ll bring them down tomorrow and we’ll try -the scheme. We’ve got to do something to beat Handsome Frank, that’s -certain!” - -“You do hate him, don’t you?” laughed Joe. - -“No, I don’t hate him one mite,” replied Jack seriously. “I even have a -sort of sneaking liking for the chump. But I do love to take him down a -notch or two whenever I can. Besides, I want that bat-case!” - - - - -CHAPTER XIII - -THE FIRST GAME - - -The game with the grammar school team came off the following Tuesday -on extremely damp grounds and under weather conditions far from ideal. -Although it was the first of April, the wind was in the northeast and -it blew across the playing field with a most unfriendly ferocity. The -game didn’t begin until ten minutes past four, and by that time the few -spectators who had courageously turned out to witness the team’s début -were shivering with the cold and had deserted the stands to keep their -blood in circulation by moving about. - -Joe, wrapped in a sweater, hands in pockets, sat with a dozen other -substitutes on the home bench and tried to keep his teeth from -chattering. It had been agreed that, because of the weather conditions -and the lateness of the starting time, the game was to go but six -innings. High School presented a batting-list composed, with two -exceptions, of seasoned material. Gordon Smith, shortstop, led off, -followed by Sidney Morris and Jack Strobe. Sidney played centre field -and was a good hitter. Smith could be relied on to get his base five -times out of ten under ordinary circumstances, and Jack was in third -place as cleanup hitter. Buster Healey, second baseman; Steve Hale, -third baseman; Frank Foley, first baseman, batted in that order, -following Jack. Healey was a good but erratic hitter, Foley at best -could be called fair, and Hale, a newcomer on the team this spring, -was still an unknown quantity. Captain Craig followed Frank Foley. -Then came Walter Cummings, another unproved hitter, and, finally, the -pitcher, who today happened to be Toby Williams. - -Toby got himself into a bit of a mess in the very first inning when -he allowed the second grammar school batter to walk and followed that -by offering a straight ball to the opposing team’s captain, who had a -local reputation as a hitter. Captain Gandy sent that ball straight -down the alley between shortstop and third baseman and took two bases -on the hit, promoting the man ahead to third. Toby struck out the next -boy, and with two gone, the prospect of escaping being scored on became -brighter. But a glaring error by Healey let in two runs and put the -fourth batsman safely on first, from whence he departed for second a -moment later and was thrown out, Craig to Smith. - -The handful of grammar school youths shouted and exulted and swaggered, -reminding each other that “I told you so!” But their delight didn’t -last long, for High School fell on their pitcher and swatted the ball -all over the lot, filling the bases with no one out. Buster Healey -tried to redeem himself by cleaning them off, but only fouled to third -baseman, and Hale struck out, more because of a lack of confidence -than because the pitcher’s offerings were in any way difficult. When -Foley went to bat there seemed but slight chance of scoring and so Tom -Pollock, who was coaching behind first, sent out orders for a triple -steal. Strangely enough, Foley not only connected with the ball as the -runners sprinted, but actually hit it out safely for two bases! That -took the heart out of Grammar School’s twirler and he passed Sam Craig, -in spite of the captain’s very evident desire to earn his way, and -repeated the compliment in the case of Cummings. That advanced Foley -to third, and when Toby came to bat he performed very nicely, just as -he was told to, trickling a bunt along first base line and beating the -throw to the bag. Foley scored unchallenged. - -Grammar School began to despair of ever getting that third out! Gordon -Smith hit safely, scoring Craig and Cummings and putting Toby Williams -on second, Sidney Morris drew a pass, and, living up to his reputation, -Jack Strobe cleaned the bases with a long line-hit that didn’t touch -the ground until it was able to strike the right field fence on the -first bound! But Jack, although he barely managed to reach third on -what should have been only a two-bagger, died there a minute or two -later when Buster again failed to distinguish himself. - -High School jeered and flung derisive remarks in the direction of -the small but devoted band of grammar school youths, who, in their -dejection, found successful repartee beyond them. - -The second inning found a new pitcher in the points for the grammar -school, but he was only slightly more puzzling than the deposed -twirler, and, after turning the enemy down in one, two, three order, -High School proceeded to indulge in another batting-fest. But this time -she scored only three runs, bringing her total to twelve. By the end -of that inning only the more enthusiastic “fans” remained, the others -seeking warmer surroundings. With a lead of ten runs, Coach Talbot -decided to begin on his second-string players and made substitutions -right and left during the remainder of the game. Toby Williams gave -place to Carl Moran in the fourth, and Moran, heartened by the lead his -team possessed, pitched a very pretty article of ball. When Amesville -took the field in the fifth inning only four regulars remained in the -line-up――Sam Craig, Sidney Morris, Frank Foley and Carl Moran. Buster -Healey gave way to Joe, who was secretly hoping to be allowed on -first. When, however, Foley did drop out, in the final inning, it was -young Farquhar who took his place. Joe wasn’t worried by the rivalry -of Farquhar, who was as yet by no means varsity material, but how, he -wondered, was he ever to convince Coach Talbot or Captain Craig or -anyone else that he could play first base if he never was allowed to -get there? - -On second Joe played a steady game, but had little to do, since Moran -held the visitors in check throughout the two innings. The contest -finally ended with the score 17 to 3, the grammar school’s third run -having been scored in the fourth by a combination of two scratch hits -and an error by shortstop. By the time the last man was out in the -sixth the players and the handful of spectators who remained were -chilled to the bone and heartily glad to get away. On the whole, that -first baseball game of the season had proved just about what Jack -dubbed it, a “frost.” - -Perversely, the weather changed its tune the next day, and for a week -blue skies and soft breezes held sway, and practice was once more -enjoyable. They worked hard, all of them, from Captain Sam himself -down to the youngest and newest tyro, but it was work they liked. By -the time another week had passed into history improvement was plainly -visible. The team was finding itself. Batting was gradually ceasing to -be a lost art, wild heaves were becoming fewer, and on the base-paths -the fellows began to show what Coach Talbot called almost human -intelligence. - -The noonday practice in the cage was producing results for Joe and -Jack. It would have been strange if it had not, for when you put in -from fifteen to twenty minutes six times a week doing nothing but -trying to bring a poised bat against a thrown ball you’ve simply got to -learn something! And Joe learned that the time to judge a pitched ball -was just before it reached the plate and not when it left the pitcher’s -glove, and that “the shorter the swing the surer the hit.” They took -turns standing in front of the wall at one end of the baseball cage -and trying to hit everything that came. At first they made no special -effort to direct the hits. The game was to let no ball get past. It was -fine training for the eye, there could be no doubt of that, and very -soon the one who pitched had to use all his cunning to get the ball -by the bat. Then the batter tried to put the ball always toward the -pitcher, and after he had gained proficiency at that he attempted to -hit it to the left or the right. - -Naturally enough it was Jack who showed the most cleverness at this, -and when they had been holding these batting practices for some three -weeks his ability to hit every offering and tap it away to any corner -of the cage he liked was almost startling. The boys usually had an -audience of from one or two to a dozen, who, coming first to make fun, -finally watched with interest and admiration. Many were the requests -from the spectators to be allowed to try their skill, but Joe and Jack, -by then very earnest at their work, refused to be interfered with. -Two other fellows appeared one day with bat and ball and insisted on -sharing the cage. But their enthusiasm was short-lived. They came the -next day and the third day following that, but never again. - -For a time Joe was deeply disappointed, even disgruntled, because that -practice in the cage failed to bring about any improvement on the -field. The fact puzzled Jack, too, and he had no very good explanation -to offer. The best he could do was to lay it to the difference of -conditions. Joe agreed that that was probably it and wanted to know -what use there was in keeping on with the cage stunt. But he did keep -on, nevertheless, and at last, just when he was reaching a stage of -abject hopelessness, the practice bore fruit. - -It was one Wednesday afternoon, two weeks after the grammar school -game. Two other unimportant contests had been won and in three days -Amesville was to play the first of its two scheduled games with Lynton -High School. Joe, with a half-dozen others, was at the batting-net and -Williams, a bit bored and listless, was pitching. Buster Healey had -finally managed to line one to the equally bored substitutes who were -fielding the balls, and had stepped aside, giving place to Joe. Joe had -already been up once and had had a hard time getting his hit in spite -of the fact that Toby was putting very little on the ball. And now he -was just as hopeless as ever he had been as he hitched his trousers and -gripped his bat. - -“Soak it, Faulkner,” said Cummings lazily. “I want another whack at it -before Toby’s arm gives out.” - -Toby, picking up one of the half-dozen balls that surrounded him, -grinned: “If he hits before I get three over on him I’ll chase it -myself.” - -“That’s a sporting proposition, Faulkner,” exclaimed Hale. “Go to it! -I’d love to see Williams trot over to the fence and back!” - -Toby was a little more crafty now, took a full wind-up and shot a drop -over the base-bag which did duty as a plate. Buster, leaning on his bat -behind the net, announced a strike. - -“It was a peach, Toby. Now don’t let him work you again, Joe. Watch for -a slow one.” - -“This is going to be a beaner,” laughed Toby. “Look out!” - -But it came waist-high, broke to the left, and failed to win Buster’s -approval. - -“Ball, Toby,” he said. “Too wide. Come on, now, show your goods!” - -Toby’s reply to the challenge was a fast ball with a slight curve and -Joe guessed it right. Bat and ball met and, although Joe made only -a half-swing, the sphere sped straight over Toby’s head――he ducked -involuntarily, to the delight of the batters――and travelled far back -down the field. - -“Don’t touch it!” bawled Buster. “Let it alone, Loomis! Now, then, -Toby, shake a leg, old scout! You said you’d field it, you know.” - -Toby smiled wanly and kept his promise, jogging far down the field to -the surprise of the fielders and the gleeful chortles of the batting -squad. - -“That was a peach,” declared Steve Hale as Joe, as much surprised -as Toby Williams, measured the hit and relinquished his place to -Cummings. Joe looked indifferent, but secretly he was as pleased as -Punch. There’s something delightfully heartening in the feel and -sound of a good, clean hit, and as Joe moved back he still felt the -tingle in his palms and experienced an inward glow of satisfaction. -That, he reflected, was the first hit he could remember that he had -been entirely satisfied with! Of course, it had been made in practice -instead of in a game, but still Toby had really been trying to fool him -and some measure of credit was due him. - -Toby came back, hot and perspiring, from his jaunt, with the recovered -ball in his hand, and proceeded to wreak vengeance on Hale. The fellows -at the net still guyed him, however, and Hale speedily found a hit. -When Buster’s turn came again he asked: “Will you field it, Toby, if I -get to you inside of three?” - -But Toby had had enough and shook his head, which proved fortunate in -the light of succeeding events. Buster, after fouling two, sent a long -fly arching out. - -When Joe stepped in front of the net Toby waved a hand in sarcastic -greeting. “Hit ’em as hard as you like, Faulkner,” he called. “All bets -are off!” - -Nevertheless, it was soon evident to Joe and the others that Toby -didn’t intend his offerings to be hit hard, for he used all his skill, -“mixing them up” bewilderingly. One went as a ball, the next was a -foul-tip, the third was a doubtful strike, the fourth was another foul. -Joe was matching his skill against the pitcher’s, and for the first -time he was confident of the result. He let a second strike go past -because, although he was certain he could have taken it, it was too low -to hit any distance. Again he fouled, going after the ball just as he -had been doing down in the schoolhouse basement, and still again. Toby -showed impatience. - -“Oh, hit one, Faulkner! I’m giving ’em to you soft!” - -“Yes, you are!” jeered Buster, behind the improvised plate. “You’re -putting everything you’ve got on them! I dare you to put one in the -groove, Toby!” - -Toby took the dare, launching a straight, fast ball to the net that -looked like a white streak. But Joe glued his eyes to it, swung short -but from the shoulders, and there was a fine, resounding _crack_! Toby -turned slowly and watched the ball streak far into the field. Then he -held up both hands and grinned at Joe. - -“You win!” he said. - -That was the beginning of Joe’s batting success. After that day -he faced the pitcher, whoever he might be, with a confident smile -reflecting the inward conviction that he could hit. There was nothing -remarkable about his batting that season and he was never spectacular. -Usually his contribution proved a single, infrequently a double. He -was in no danger of being dubbed “Home-Run” Faulkner. And frequently -enough, more frequently than he approved of, you may be sure, he struck -out just as ingloriously as anyone else on the team. But, somehow, he -showed a reliability that began to be talked about toward the end of -the season. It was a fair wager, when he went to the plate, that he -would deliver a hit. Often he didn’t; more often he did. And what made -his hits go safe was that practice in the baseball cage, for through -that he had attained an almost uncanny ability to place them. Few -pitchers could make him hit where he didn’t want to. Jack once declared -that Joe, who was a right-handed batter, could hit a fast ball to right -field and a slow one to left any time he wanted to! This was somewhat -of an exaggeration, but certain it is that Joe was a clever batter when -it came to “putting them where they ain’t,” and his title of Lucky -Faulkner was felt to have been wisely bestowed. But I am ahead of my -story, for Joe’s batting prowess, although it came into being that -April afternoon at the net, was of gradual growth. When all is said, -the way to learn to bat is to bat. And that is the way Joe learned. - -Amesville played Lynton one warm, cloudy afternoon on the former’s -grounds and took her first beating. Lynton had a way of winning from -Amesville when all the signs pointed toward defeat. She never played -remarkable ball; never, in fact, won from any other club of Amesville’s -ability. But, somehow, almost every year Lynton managed to secure -the decision in one or another of the two games played. And every -year there came a loud and impatient demand for a third and deciding -contest. But the third contest seldom occurred, seldom when it was -demanded, because by that time both teams had filled their dates, and -never by arrangement at the beginning of the season because at such -times Amesville smiled confidently and said: “Well, this year we won’t -have any fooling. We’ll take ’em both!” - -Lynton’s perversity had secured for her the compliment of being looked -on by Amesville as second only to Petersburg as a worthy foeman. -Sometimes Lynton won by virtue of her enemy’s errors, caused by -over-eagerness. Sometimes she won by sheer luck, as when, two years -before, with the score 7 to 6 in Amesville’s favour in the ninth -inning, the Amesville pitcher had let down long enough to allow two -tail-enders to get to third and second bases, and then, with two down -and two strikes on the batsman, had pitched a wild ball that had sent -the batter staggering away from the plate and had seen in amazement -the ball hit the shouldered bat, bound away to just behind first base, -and land fair a yard beyond anyone’s reach while the runners crossed -the home plate with enough tallies to take the game! That contest had -become famous in Amesville legends, and nowadays it was the usual thing -for someone to shout at a crucial moment in a game: “Don’t hit his -bat, Tom!” Amesville had remained sore over that game for a whole year -and had only regained her composure when, the following spring, she had -tied the first Lynton contest and then routed her enemy in the second -struggle by the generous score of 17 to 6! - -This year Amesville appeared a trifle less confident of winning the -two battles, although she perhaps secretly expected to do so. At all -events, she took no chances in that first game. Tom Pollock started in -the box and remained until the seventh inning, at which time Amesville -had a satisfactory lead of four runs. Toby Williams relieved him, and -Toby had an off-day if ever pitcher had! For two innings he escaped -real punishment, although one of several passes resulted in the eighth -in a tally for Lynton. But in the first half of the ninth, with the -score then 8 to 5 in the home team’s favour, Toby simply laid down -in the traces. Afterwards some of the blame was laid at the door of -coach and captain, for it was said that Jack Speyer, who was put in -Sam Craig’s place behind the bat in the eighth, showed poor judgment. -In any case, after getting through the next to the last session at -the expense of but one run, Toby went to the bad completely. Twice, -when the batter had three balls and no strikes against him, Speyer and -Toby met in consultation between plate and mound and Lynton howled and -hooted. In that disastrous ninth Toby gave two passes, hit a batsman -and was punished for four hits with a total of six bases! Before Carl -Moran could even peel his sweater off preparatory to warming up the -mischief was done. When Carl did go in the score was tied and there -were runners on second and third, with two men out. The only wonder was -that Lynton had managed to score so few runs! Carl did his best, which -was not a very good best, but he was facing a desperate situation and -was plainly nervous. The next batter hit safely past Hale and two more -runs were scored. Then Carl gave a pass, just to show that Toby was not -the only generous pitcher on the team, and, after Speyer had overthrown -second in an effort to kill a steal and one more runner had scored, -he persuaded the Lynton catcher to send a long fly to Jack Strobe’s -waiting hands. - -When that fatal half-inning was over the score told a far different -tale! Lynton was in the lead, eleven runs to Amesville’s eight. Coach -Talbot used all his science and shifted and substituted bewilderingly -in the last of the ninth, and it was then that Joe made his début. -Foley, while playing a clean game at the bag, had been hitting -miserably all the afternoon, and when Mr. Talbot looked about for -someone to bat in his stead Joe was about the only fellow left on the -bench eligible to play. By that time Morris had struck out, Jack was -on second and Healey on first. Joe faced the Lynton pitcher calmly -and smilingly, but he confessed afterwards to Jack that he was a bit -weak in the knees! However, that weakness didn’t prevent him from -out-guessing the pitcher on the first delivery and driving the ball -down the alley between first and second basemen, scoring Jack, putting -Buster on third, and reaching second himself on his stomach with no -time to spare! But that was the last sputter, for Loomis, rushed into -the breach to bat for Speyer, took the count without a swing, and once -more Lynton, the incorrigible, pesky varmint, had won! - -The visitors went off with laughter and song, cheering and jeering, -leaving Amesville to comfort herself with the knowledge of a future -meeting and to once more raise the cry of “_Give us a third game!_” - - - - -CHAPTER XIV - -A TRY-OUT AT FIRST - - -The Second Team was formed the third week in April. Joe found, rather -to his surprise, that he was to be retained with the first squad as -substitute infielder and was not to be relegated to the second. That -was, certainly, a compliment to his playing ability, and he was duly -pleased, but there were moments during the succeeding fortnight when -he almost wished that he had been placed on the scrub, since in that -case he would undoubtedly have been put at first and would be playing -there regularly instead of sitting half of the time on the bench and -trying not to hope that Frank Foley would break a finger or sprain an -ankle! When Joe did get in it was more likely to be at second base than -first, since Buster Healey, the regular incumbent of that position, -was playing a decidedly erratic game and Coach Talbot was becoming -discouraged with him and was constantly pulling him out in favour of a -substitute. Buster had it in him to play fine ball, but this spring he -was badly off his game. Joe was always glad to get a chance to play, -and would have gone behind the bat, had he been told to, or even into -the outfield, rather than remain on the bench, but he did wish that Bat -would give him a chance at first. - -Jack suggested once when Joe was mourning the lack of opportunity to -exhibit his skill at the first sack that they enter into a deep, dark -conspiracy against Handsome Frank. “We might,” said Jack thoughtfully, -“decoy him to the soda fountain and slip poison in his drink. Or we -might wait for him outside his house some night and stab him full of -holes. If we did that it might be best to leave a Black Hand note -attached to the stiletto in order to avert suspicion. They’d probably -arrest Tony, the bootblack, and might hang him. Tony never did anything -to me, and――No, I guess it wouldn’t be fair to have Tony hung. How -would a bomb do? We could put it under his seat at school and――――” - -“And blow ourselves up, too?” asked Joe. “No, I don’t like that idea so -much, Jack.” - -Jack acknowledged that it had its drawbacks. “Just the same,” he -asserted decisively, “something must be done. Frank has a nasty way -of grinning at me nowadays, and yesterday he wanted to know if I was -feeling well. Said I looked a bit pale. And the funny thing is, Joey, -that I don’t feel awfully smart; haven’t for nearly a week. I suppose -it’s the warm weather, but if I caught scarlet fever or anything -and had to lay off for a couple of weeks I’d lose that bet sure as -shooting!” - -“Well, I guess you needn’t count on me to help you win it,” replied -Joe hopelessly. “Bat seems to think that I’m only good on second, or, -sometimes, third.” - -“If Buster doesn’t take a brace you’ll find yourself on second for -keeps,” said Jack. “I’d like to know what’s the matter with that -chap. Last year, and the year before, too, he was a mighty good -second-sacker, but now――Great Scott, did you see that heave of his to -Frank yesterday? It went three yards wide of the base if it went an -inch, and Buster declares that he threw straight as an arrow! And even -his hitting is punk. I don’t see Bat’s idea of trying to make a first -baseman of Farquhar this season. The kid’s too green for it.” - -“Maybe if Healey would brace up,” said Joe, “I’d lose my job at second -and might get a chance to substitute Foley. I sometimes wish they’d let -me go to the Scrubs.” - -“Piffle! At least, you’re a member of the First Team, even if you don’t -play all the time, and you’ll get your letter, too, before the season’s -over. Next month Bat will be putting you in somewhere for four or five -innings at a whack. Then, if you get into the Petersburg game you’ll -get your A.” - -“Yes, but what’s to keep Bat from getting tired of seeing me sitting -around and letting me go long before that?” asked Joe dismally. - -“Everything! He’s got to have at least two substitute infielders, -hasn’t he? And you’re one of them, aren’t you? Anyway, if you keep on -batting as well as you’ve been doing it he won’t dare to let you go. -Speaking of that, Joey, I guess we’ve done about all we can with that -parlour baseball stunt of ours in the cage. We might as well call that -off, I think.” - -“Especially as we’ve missed about every other day lately,” Joe laughed. - -“I know. It’s too warm now to feel ambitious. All a fellow wants to do -at recess is lie on his back and watch the clouds go over and wonder -where they get the energy to do it! You can’t say, though, that that -scheme of mine hasn’t worked.” - -“I don’t try to. It did me a lot of good, Jack. I――I almost think that -by next year I’ll be a fairly good hitter.” - -“You’ll be that this year if you keep on improving. Tom is the only -fellow you can’t hit about as you like. And that’s no disgrace to you, -because Tom Pollock is about as good a pitcher as you’ll find in the -State, and I’m not excepting professionals, either!” - -“Toby told me the other day that Tom has a chance to go to a league -team whenever he wants to.” - -“I should say he had! Why, three or four teams have been after him. He -could get a try-out with Detroit tomorrow if he wanted it. But Tom says -he’s going to college next Fall, and, of course, he wants to play ball -there.” - -“I should think he would. I wish I thought I could go to college, Jack.” - -“Why can’t you? In another year you’ll have so much money saved up that -you’ll be able to do as you like! The stand’s doing better every month, -and the first thing we know we’ll be millionaires!” - -“We fooled ourselves about Young, all right, didn’t we? Honest, Jack, I -expected long before this that he’d have shown a yellow streak.” - -“Me, too. And the funny thing is that I still don’t altogether trust -him. But everything seems perfectly straight, doesn’t it?” - -“Absolutely. I don’t believe he’s done a thing shady except swipe a box -of cigarettes now and then. I guess he’s about as good a fellow as we -could have found for the job.” - -“He sure is. By the way, when we engaged him we said something about -giving him a raise, didn’t we, if he got along all right?” - -“Yes, we did, and I suppose we’d better be thinking about doing it. -Still, he’s been working only about two months. We’ll let it go until -next month, Jack.” - -“All right. I dare say he isn’t looking for a raise just yet. He hasn’t -made any hints to me, anyway. The thing that puzzles me, though, is how -he can wear the flossy clothes he does on ten dollars per. He’s almost -as beautiful as Frank Foley!” - -“I can answer that,” replied Joe drily. “He has accounts with a lot of -the stores. A chap came in the other day when I was at the stand and -wanted me to pay a bill of sixteen dollars for underwear and ties and -things. Thought I was Young. I told him to try again. If he has many -bills around town like that one he won’t be with us much longer, I -guess, and that’s one reason I think it’ll be just as well to wait a -bit longer before we make that raise. It doesn’t do much good to raise -a chap’s wages and have him leave you in the lurch a few weeks later.” - -“Well, if he’s got creditors after him,” laughed Jack, “he needs the -raise pretty badly right now! But I guess you’re right. We’ll wait -and see what happens. He’s an idiot to blow in money like that for -pink-striped shirts and things. I’d love to hitch him and Handsome -Frank up and drive them tandem down Main Street some afternoon!” And -Jack chuckled merrily. - -“Do you suppose,” asked Joe, after a minute’s silence, “that it would -do to ask Bat for a try-out at first? I mean, tell him I’ve played -the position and think I could do it again; make a bid for the job to -substitute Foley.” - -“Don’t do it. Bat wouldn’t like it a bit, old man. Bat’s peculiar -that way. Tell you what you might do, though. You might sort of hint -something of the sort to Sam. Sam wouldn’t mind it, I guess. I believe -I’d do that, Joey, some time before long. As I’ve previously remarked, -something’s just got to be done about Mr. Foley if we don’t want him to -cop that bet we made.” - -“I don’t see,” said Joe innocently, “how that interests me any. _I_ -didn’t bet with him.” - -“Why, you――you――you ungrateful chump!” exclaimed Jack. “Do you mean to -say that you’re going to leave me in the lurch? Didn’t you agree to -oust Frank from first base? Didn’t you――――” - -“No, I didn’t,” Joe laughed. “That was your idea entirely. Besides, -what would I get out of it? You couldn’t cut that bat-case in half, -could you?” - -“I’ll let you use it on Sundays,” replied Jack generously. - -Joe pondered for several days the plan of confiding to Sam Craig his -desire to become a first baseman. Once he got his courage almost to -the sticking-point, but a troublesome conviction that Sam would think -him “fresh” held him back. And then, before he again reached the -determination to take the plunge, events made it unnecessary. - -During the last half of April, Amesville played three games, one with -Grammar School on a Thursday and two with outside teams of no great -importance. In the Grammar School contest High School was again easily -victorious, although the score was somewhat more even than in the -first meeting. The Grammar School pitcher who had been so unmercifully -drubbed came back strong and proved rather a hard nut to crack, -holding High School to eight hits for a total of twelve bases in the -seven innings he pitched. The score at the end was 8 to 3. The team -journeyed to Sinclair one Saturday and played the high school team -there, winning easily, with Tom Pollock pitching five innings and Toby -Williams four, by the tune of 11 to 5. On the last Saturday of the -month Corby High School came to Amesville and was walloped 14 to 6, -Carl Moran presiding on the mound for eight innings and pitching very -good ball until a tired arm threatened to bring his downfall, and Tom -Pollock was hurried to the rescue. - -Every afternoon, save when an outside team was to be played, the First -Team and Scrubs came together and some very close, hotly-contested -battles ensued. Oddly enough, Joe’s first opportunity to show what he -could do as a first baseman found him playing with the Scrubs. One -afternoon the Scrubs’ regular first baseman was missing and when its -shortstop got mixed up at second with Sidney Morris and was helped off -the field with a badly-wrenched knee, the Scrubs’ coach, a high school -graduate named Meyers, was in a quandary and was forced to borrow -a player from the First. The choice fell on Joe, and as Joe was a -stranger to the shortstop position Meyer put his third baseman there, -transferred his first baseman to third, and put Joe at first. Joe was -rather too nervous during the first inning to make much of a showing, -but, fortunately, Carl Moran, who was pitching for the Scrubs, held the -First fairly tight and Joe was able to get by without anything worse -than a doubtful error when he failed to get a wide throw in time to -make the out. But in the succeeding innings, five in all, he covered -the bag in a style which opened Mr. Talbot’s eyes and brought good -words from his friends. If he did not have the reach that Frank Foley -had, he was so much quicker than that other youth that he quite made up -for the fact, while at bat he was easily the superior of that player. -Joe did not, however, greatly distinguish himself with the stick that -afternoon, for Tom Pollock pitched the whole six innings for the First, -and Tom, when he tried, could hold any fellow on the team helpless. -Still, Joe did do better than any other member of the Scrubs, getting -two hits, one of the scratch variety, as his earnings. The First Team -nosed out of the game with a two-run lead, but had to work hard that -day for their victory. - -The result of Joe’s exhibition with the Scrubs that afternoon was -that two days later he was substituted for Foley in the fifth inning -of a game with the Second Team, much to Foley’s surprise and, I fancy, -disgust. Again he got through creditably, although a poor heave -from Buster Healey got past him on one occasion and led him in the -subsequent confusion to himself make a hurried and ragged throw to -third. But the misplay did not appear in the results and he more than -atoned with two stops that brought applause from the stand and the -benches and by lacing out a two-bagger in the fourth inning that sent -two runs across. - -Jack was jubilant as they walked back to town after that game. “You’ve -been and gone and done it, Joey!” he said. “You’ve shown Bat at last -that you’re the man for the job! I saw him and Sam put their heads -together when you cracked out that two-bagger, and I’ll bet you -anything they mean to find a place for you. Why shouldn’t they, anyway? -Don’t they need all the batting strength they can get? And don’t you -hit a lot better than Foley, or three or four others, for that matter? -What Bat’s trying to do now, I guess, is to figure out some way of -getting you in the line-up. Well, he will either have to put you at -first or second. Hale has made good at third, all right. If I were he -I’d switch Buster and Gordon Smith around. Gordon’s a good shortstop, -of course, but I dare say he could play second just as well. That would -give Buster a chance to redeem himself, you see. Still, that wouldn’t -make a place for you, Joey.” Jack frowned intently a moment and then -continued: “No, sir, the only thing to do is to shelve Frank!” - -“Don’t be an idiot! Why should he shelve Foley? Foley can play first -better than I can.” - -“That’s all right. With a week’s practice you could do just as well -as he’s doing. And when it comes to batting you’re away ahead of him. -And I want to tell you, Joey, that what this team is going to need -when we run up against Petersburg is fellows who can roll the pill! -Well, anyway, you wait and see. Something will happen to Handsome Frank -before long, mark my words. I’m a prophet, Joey!” - -“You’re a chump, you mean. Walk up and let’s get somewhere. Speaking of -profits, I’d like to find out what ours have been today.” - -“All you think of is filthy money,” mourned Jack. - -“And all you think of,” Joe retorted, “is that old bat-case!” - - - - -CHAPTER XV - -BUSTER DROPS OUT - - -The following day the team went to Crawford Mills and played a nine -made up of the youths of that small but busy town. About half of the -members were high school boys and the rest were from the offices of the -steel mills, many of the latter youths of twenty or even twenty-two -years. In the field the Crawford Mills aggregation presented a -peculiar spectacle, for their shortstop was a chubby youth of no more -than fifteen, while their catcher was at least twenty-one, and their -pitcher, a sort of human bean-pole, wore a mustache! Lack of practice, -however, was against the “Millers” and, although Amesville had -difficulty with that pitcher, she nevertheless won out in the seventh -inning with a mixture of hits, daring base running, and errors, the -latter by the opponent. - -Joe, who had had hopes since the day before of getting another chance -at first base, was considerably disappointed at being left idle on -the bench until the eighth inning, when he was put in to run for Tom -Pollock, that youth having turned his ankle at first base. That was -all the playing Joe did, and he sat disgruntledly during the rest of -the game and watched Amesville hold her lead and ultimately emerge the -victor, eight runs to six. - -The “Millers” were good losers and cheered the visitors heartily when -the contest was over, and their captain, the tall, mustached pitcher, -shook hands with Tom Pollock and hoped his ankle wasn’t hurt much. Tom -was able to reassure him. Then a request was made for a second game at -Amesville, and Sam Craig agreed to see what could be done about one. -High School journeyed home at dusk, very well satisfied with an almost -errorless performance――Buster Healey had alone sinned――and very hungry. -Joe was wedged in between Jack and Walter Cummings in the trolley car -going back, with Frank Foley directly in front on the next seat. Jack, -who had outshone himself that afternoon in left field, was feeling -especially cheerful and, before they had been buzzing across country -very long, began to heckle Handsome Frank, to the amusement of the -others within hearing. - -“Say, Frank,” he began, leaning over, “we’ve got a fellow working for -us at the news-stand who makes you look like a faded leaf, old top. -Honest, Frank, he’s got it all over you as a swell dresser. You’ll have -to look to your laurels right smart. That’s no josh, either. Why, that -fellow’s got a pink-and-green-striped shirt that would simply fill you -with envy!” - -“Hello, Jack,” was the response. “You jabbering again?” - -“Yep, jabbering again, Frankie. Listen. You’re months behind the style, -old chap. They’re not wearing those all-leather shoes any more. You -want to get some with cloth tops. They’re the only proper dress for the -Johnnies. I’m afraid you haven’t read your fashion journal this month!” - -“The trouble with you and Faulkner,” replied Frank over his shoulder, -“is that you dress so like tramps that when you see a fellow with a -clean collar on you don’t know what to make of it!” - -That produced chuckles from the nearby seats. Jack smiled serenely. -“Yes, there’s something in what you say. That’s where you have it on -the rest of us, Frank. Your collars are so plaguey high that no one -can see whether they’re clean or not on top! But what I’m telling you -about the cloth-top shoes is right as rain. They’re positively the -last cry. Get after ’em, Frank.” - -“Don’t worry about my shoes,” was the reply. “Look after your own, -Jack. There’s a place down town where you can get them shined for a -nickel. You and your partner had better drop in there some day.” - -“They’d never do Jack’s for a nickel,” remarked Buster. “His feet are -too big.” - -“Oh, I shine mine at home,” said Jack cheerfully. “I save a nickel -every week or two, you see. When I get a quarter saved up I’m going to -get one of those manicures like Frank’s. They’re great! Every time he -puts his hand up you get blinded.” - -“Every time you put your hand up,” chuckled Frank, “I think someone’s -dead!” - -“Now what’s he mean by that?” asked Jack, as the others laughed. - -“You’d better dry up,” advised Joe amusedly. - -“Good advice, Faulkner,” Foley commented. “Wash his hands when you get -him home. Your own, too.” - -“I’ll leave it to the crowd if my hands aren’t clean,” exclaimed -Jack indignantly, holding them up for inspection. “I washed them -only yesterday. Frank, you’re almost insulting. For two cents I’d -disarrange your scarf and break your heart!” - -“Oh, cut it out,” growled Foley. “You’re not smart; you just think you -are. I wear whatever clothes I please, and it doesn’t concern you.” - -“Doesn’t it, though? My word! It concerns me a lot, old chap. Many’s -the time I’ve got up in the morning feeling blue and depressed and then -seen you glide by in a pink shirt and a green hat and white spats and -perked right up, Frank! Why, you’re our little blob of local colour, -that’s what you are. We’re all better for you, Frank. Amesville would -be pale and commonplace without you. Why, just the other day I walked -along a block or two behind you inhaling the aroma that floated back, -and life seemed different right away. That was the day everyone was -calling up the gas company and complaining of leaks!” - -This sally brought a burst of laughter that dissipated the final -remnant of Foley’s good-temper, and he turned to face Jack with an -angry countenance. Unfortunately, he caught the grin on Joe’s features -and straightway transferred his attention to that youth. - -“What are you smirking about, you fresh kid?” he demanded. “You go and -sell your five-cent cigars and let me alone. You’re a joke, anyway, -and you’re the biggest joke when you try to play ball. You grin at me -and I’ll reach back there and wipe it off!” - -“Cut it out, Frank,” said Tom Pollock from the seat behind Joe’s. “Keep -your temper, old man. No one’s hurting you.” - -“Well, those cheap guys can keep their mouths closed, then. I wasn’t -saying anything to them, was I?” - -“You began it,” retorted Jack mendaciously. “You’re jealous because I -told you there was a fellow in town with cloth-top shoes. I only said -it for your own good, and――――” - -“Dry up, Jack,” commanded Tom. “You’re tiresome.” - -“All right,” grieved Jack. “That’s all the thanks I get for trying to -be kind and helpful!” - -Just then they had to pile out and change to another trolley, and when -they were reseated Jack discovered that Foley had placed himself the -length of the car away. He sighed. “No more fun,” he murmured. “I shall -go to sleep.” - -That incident, unimportant as it seemed, bore results. Frank Foley -evidently reached the conclusion that it was Joe and not Jack who was -at the bottom of the heckling, for whenever they met Joe was regarded -with scowling dislike. It didn’t bother Joe much, but it amused Jack -immensely. “Honestly, Joey,” he would chuckle, “you oughtn’t to put -me up to saying things about Frank. It isn’t nice. If he speaks to me -about it I’ll just have to tell him that I don’t approve of it a bit.” - -“I wish you and your Frank were at the bottom of the river,” replied -Joe vigorously. “It’s bad enough being after a fellow’s position -without having a lot of ill-feeling besides. If I should beat him -out, either this year or next, he’d always think I did it unfairly, I -suppose.” - -“I’m afraid he would,” grieved Jack. “Try and be decent to him, Joey. -Don’t make fun of him the way you do. The things you say――――” - -“Oh, dry up!” muttered Joe. Jack obeyed, chuckling wickedly. - -High School continued to win most of her games, coming a cropper now -and then, however, as when she received a decisive beating at the -hands of Lima. Amesville was shut out for the first time that season, -while her opponent managed to get seven runs. Toby Williams started -for Amesville, but lasted only three innings. By that time Lima had -four runs to her credit. Tom Pollock kept her at bay until the sixth -inning, when an error by Healey, coming on the heels of a dropped fly -by Cummings, let three more runs across. Amesville was utterly unable -to bunch the few hits she managed to make off the Lima pitcher and so -travelled home with banners trailing. The direct outcome of that game -was the replacing of Buster Healey at second base with young Farquhar. -Farquhar, however, only lasted through three days of practice and was -then relegated to the Scrubs. In his place Coach Talbot requisitioned -George Peddie, and Peddie was tried at third while Hale went to second. -Healey was heartbroken. It was understood that he was to have his -position again as soon as he recovered from his present slump, but -Buster viewed the situation hopelessly. - -One afternoon when he and Joe were together on the bench during the -first inning of a game with the Scrubs he confided his perplexities. -“I don’t know what the dickens is the matter with me, Joe,” he said. -“I didn’t use to have any trouble. Last year I played through with -only fourteen errors all season, and that’s not so bad, is it? But -this spring”――he shook his head puzzledly――“I can’t even seem to bat -any more. It’s funny, too. I hit where the ball looks to be and never -touch it. Same way in fielding. I see the old thing shooting along -to me and make a grab for it and as often as not it gets clean past. -The other day, when I plugged to Frank that time, I aimed as straight -as you please and got the ball away all right. I _know_ that! But -when it got to first it was two yards to the left!” He examined his -hands as if seeking a solution to his trouble there. Joe, interested -in the new batting arrangement that Mr. Talbot had introduced that -afternoon, heard Buster’s lamentations with but half an ear. He nodded -sympathetically, though, when young Peddie had been retired at first, -making the third out. - -“It’s too bad,” he said. “What do you suppose the reason is?” - -“I’m telling you I don’t know,” replied Buster a trifle impatiently. -“Maybe I’m not well. I――I have headaches sometimes.” He made the -acknowledgment rather shamefacedly. Buster didn’t have much sympathy -for fellows with ailments. - -For the first time Joe’s interest was really aroused. “Whereabouts?” he -asked quickly. - -“Whereabouts what?” - -“Whereabouts are the headaches?” - -“In my head, of course! Oh, you mean――Well, sort of up here.” He -placed his hands over his temples. “Maybe,” he added with a grin, -“maybe I’m studying too hard.” - -“You get a ball,” said Joe, “and come over here with me.” - -“What for?” - -“Never mind what for, Buster. Come on.” - -Buster borrowed a baseball from the bag and followed Joe across to the -stretch used by pitchers when they warmed up. “What’s the big idea?” he -asked. - -“Shoot it to me,” said Joe. He held his hands in front of his chest. -“Don’t curve it, Buster. Just put it to me straight.” - -“It’s got to curve some,” objected Buster. “Here you are.” - -Joe made a stab well to the left of him and saved himself a trip down -the field. - -“Try again,” he said, throwing the ball back. “Try to hit my hands, -Buster. See if you can’t throw right into them.” - -“Come a little nearer. I can’t see your hands so well. That’s better.” - -Buster sped the ball off again, and again it went wide, although not -so wide as before. When the ball came back to him he made rather an -awkward task of catching it. Joe followed the ball. - -“Let’s have it,” he said quietly. Buster yielded it, troubledly. -“Catch,” said Joe and tossed the ball to the other from some four feet -away. Buster put up his hands quickly, his forehead a mass of wrinkles -and his eyes half-closed, and the ball tipped his fingers and struck -his chest. - -“What are you scowling for?” asked Joe. - -“Scowling?” - -“Yes, your forehead’s all screwed up. Your eyes, too. Can’t you catch a -ball without doing that?” - -“I don’t know. I guess so.” - -“Try it.” This time Buster caught, but, as before, he frowned and -squinted terrifically over the operation. - -“That’ll do,” said Joe. “You go and see an oculist, Buster.” - -“Oculist!” - -“Surest thing you know. Something’s wrong with your eyes. You can’t -see, Buster!” - -“Great Scott!” murmured the other. “I――I believe you’re dead right, -Joe!” - -“I know I am. I had headaches like yours a couple of years ago and my -mother sent me to a doctor. He snipped a couple of muscles and I was -all right.” - -“Snipped! Say, didn’t it hurt?” - -“Mm, a little; not much. Maybe your trouble’s something else, though. -Maybe you need glasses, Buster.” - -“Glasses! Gee, wouldn’t I be a sight with glasses? Do you really think -that’s what’s wrong, Joe?” - -“Positive! You can’t throw a ball straight because you don’t see what -you’re throwing at plainly. Now, can you?” - -Buster considered a moment. Then: “I don’t believe I do, come to think -of it. Things are――are sort of indistinct at a distance. You don’t -suppose”――Buster faltered――“you don’t suppose I’m going to be blind, do -you?” - -“Blind your granny! You go and see an oculist and he will fix you up -right as rain. Do it tomorrow, Buster. I’ll wager you’ll be playing -second again in a fortnight.” - -“Honest, Joe? Say, why didn’t I think of my eyes? Why, now when I think -of it, I know mighty well that I don’t see like I did a year ago. Why, -last Spring I could see to the end of the field as plainly as anything!” - -“Can’t you today?” asked Joe. - -“No, I can’t. I can see, all right, but things are sort of hazy. What’s -a cataract like, Joe?” - -“I never had one. Neither have you. Don’t be an idiot, Buster. Just do -as I tell you.” - -“You bet I will!” They were back on the bench now. “What gets me, Joe, -is why I never thought it might be my eyes!” - -“I guess a fellow thinks of his eyes the last thing of all,” replied -Joe wisely. “I know when I was having those headaches――――” - -But a further account of his experiences was interrupted by the coach. - -“Faulkner, you take first. That’ll do for today, Foley. Hale, you go -back to third. Peddie, see what you can do at second.” - -Joe played four innings at the first sack that afternoon, conscious -all the time of Frank Foley’s malevolent glare from the bench. But he -didn’t allow that to worry him much and covered the base in good shape. -The following afternoon it was Joe who started at first and Foley who -took his place later on. Perhaps the fear of being superseded began to -wear on Foley, for he played poorly during the three innings he was on -duty, and Jack exulted on the way home. - -“You’ve got him on the run, Joey,” he said. “Keep it up, old man! -Remember that bat-case is yours every Sunday!” - -“Hang your old bat-case, Jack! I wish they’d put me on the second. This -thing of taking a chap’s job away isn’t funny.” - -“To the victor belong the spoils,” replied Jack untroubledly. “Frank -won’t let sentiment interfere with getting his place back if he can, -Joey, so why should you――――” - -“But he had it first.” - -“And couldn’t keep it!” - -“Just the same, I don’t like it. I think I’ll quit.” - -“You think you’ll quit!” exclaimed the other in horrified tones. -“You’re crazy underfoot like a radish! Quit nothing! What about that -bat――――” - -Joe turned on him menacingly. “If you say ‘bat-case’ again I’ll punch -you,” he threatened. - -“Oh, all right. I won’t. I was only going to ask what about that -receptacle for――――” - -Joe chased him half a block. When peace had been restored Joe asked: -“Have you seen Buster Healey today?” - -“No, he wasn’t out,” replied Jack. - -“I know he wasn’t. I’m sort of worried about Buster. I didn’t say -anything about it yesterday, Jack, but I’m afraid he’s got something -wrong with his eyes.” He told of the incident of the day before, ending -up with: “I don’t know much about cataracts, Jack, but I wouldn’t be -awfully surprised if that was the trouble.” - -“You’re a cheerful little chap, aren’t you? Fellows don’t have those -things, Joey. Old ladies have ’em when they’re about eighty. My -grandmother had ’em, and I know.” - -“Well, maybe. I hope you’re right. Anyway, I’m going to call him up and -find out what the oculist said.” - -Events, however, proved that unnecessary, for when they turned into -the Adams Building there was Buster leaning against the counter in -conversation with the sprightly Mr. Chester Young. - -“I was waiting for you, Joe,” he announced. “Thought you’d like to know -you were dead right yesterday. I went to the doctor man this afternoon -and he says I’ve got my――my――――Oh, thunder, I’ve forgotten it!” - -“Myopia?” - -“That’s it! He says I’m so blamed near-sighted that’s it’s a wonder I -can blow my nose! But it isn’t cataracts, anyway. Say, honest, Joe, I -was scared blue last night. I told my mother what you’d said and she -was certain sure I had cataracts!” - -“I’m glad you haven’t. What’s the oculist going to do about it?” - -“He says he can cure me in a few months. I have to go every day for a -while and look through a sort of machine he has. And I may have to wear -glasses, too. And”――and by this time Buster’s cheerfulness was ebbing -fast――“he says I can’t play ball any more for a while. Isn’t that the -limit?” - -“Too bad, Buster. But if he can cure the trouble――――” - -“He says he can. Says when you catch them young, these myopias, you can -chase ’em out of the system, or words like that. I suppose I oughtn’t -to kick, because it might have been a heap worse, but it’s hard having -to give up playing baseball.” - -“No use troubling about that,” said Jack, who had joined them. “You -couldn’t play anyhow, Buster, until you got your eyes fixed up right. -Much better give it up this spring and go back to it next.” - -“I suppose so. I haven’t any choice, anyway. Say, Joe, I’m certainly -much obliged to you for tipping me off. What gets me――――” - -“Joe’s a wise guy,” said Jack. “What he doesn’t know isn’t worth -knowing.” - -“Yes, but what gets me――――” - -“Oh, that was nothing for Joey! Solomon in all his glory had nothing on -Joseph!” - -“For the love of mud, Jack, shut up! Buster’s trying to tell you――――” - -“I was going to say,” began Buster patiently again, “that what gets me -is why I didn’t realise myself what the trouble was. That’s what gets -me! You’d think that when a fellow couldn’t see decently he’d take a -tumble and――――” - -“Sure, it’s a wonder you haven’t tumbled lots of times,” agreed Jack -solicitously. - -“Oh, you make me tired,” grumbled Buster. “You can’t be serious a -minute. If you had my――my――――Say, what is it again, Joe?” - -“Myopia, Buster.” - -“From the Greek, Buster; myo, close, and opsis, sight. My word, I wish -old Dennison could have heard me!” - -“Yes, you’re a swell Greek scholar!” jeered Buster. “Well, I just -thought you’d like to hear about it, Joe. And I hope you get my place -at second――if you want it.” - -“Give it to Foley,” said Jack. “Joe doesn’t need it. But, honestly, -Buster, I’m dead sorry you’re out of it this year. We’re going to miss -you, old man. But you’ll be in better shape for next, eh?” - -“If Frank’s going to have my place,” replied Buster dismally, “I’m -sorrier than ever!” - - - - -CHAPTER XVI - -FOLEY IS WORRIED - - -The next day Joe found himself playing third base. Gordon Smith was -changed from shortstop to second and George Peddie was at short. But -this arrangement lasted only a few innings. Peddie was out of place at -short and Joe was equally miscast as third baseman. Then Steve Hale -was put in at short and Joe and Frank Foley were instructed to change -places. The game with the Scrubs was finished with that arrangement of -the infield, and, while it produced better results than any previous -combination, still it was far from perfect. After all, Hale was a third -baseman first, last, and all the time, and Foley was not fast enough -to fill his shoes. Joe secretly hoped that the arrangement would last, -for he was in possession of his coveted position at first, and, in -order that it might, he played the very best he knew how that afternoon -and won applause more than once. Now that there were no wild pegs from -Buster Healey to be stopped the position was far easier. - -But the next day Foley was back at first in practice and Hale was -once more cavorting around third. Gordon Smith was reinstated to his -old position at short and the task of covering the middle bag fell to -George Peddie. That, of course, put Joe once more on the bench, and -once more Joe gave way to discouragement and Jack about made up his -mind to lose that wager. But neither Coach Talbot nor Captain Craig was -satisfied with a line-up that left out the hitting possibilities of -Joe Faulkner, and when the two teams had battled through four innings -Foley was taken out and again Joe went to first. By now the school in -general, or as much of it as followed the fortunes of the baseball -club, was watching the struggle for first base position with much -interest. It seemed as though Coach Talbot had decided to give the two -contestants equal chances and let them decide the matter themselves! -Every day Joe and Frank Foley divided the position. It is not to be -denied that Foley was still a more brilliant first baseman than his -rival. Foley had a long reach that helped him considerably, had more -experience, and was, in fact, a first-class man for the position. It -was at the bat that he was forced to play second fiddle. Joe could -outhit him two to one. Not only that, but on bases Foley was awkward -and slow. He had a positive genius for being caught off the bags, and -his attempts to slide were sad failures. Each of the boys had his -following amongst the “fans” and whether Faulkner or Foley was to play -first base in the Petersburg game became a question that was hotly -argued. - -Foley had at last realised that, contrary to his early season -conviction, he did not hold the position securely; that if he meant -to retain it he had to play his hardest and, if possible, improve his -batting. It was something of a blow to Foley’s self-conceit, for last -year he had faced no real rival and had come to look on the place as -his. He was no “quitter,” and he made a hard fight of it. He tried his -level best to increase his batting average, but without much success. -He had heretofore considered that it was enough to field his position -and leave the hitting to others, and now he discovered that batting was -not a trick to be learned in a few short weeks. - -Amesville played every Saturday save one until the middle of May, -reaching that period with a showing of seven wins, three defeats, and -one tie. The missed game was with Curtis School, rain prohibiting. -Of the regular schedule of seventeen games nine remained, and after -the middle of the month Wednesday afternoon contests began. The -“Millers” secured their return game, coming to Amesville on less than -a day’s notice when Arkwright High School announced its inability to -fill her date. The “Millers” were again beaten, 9 to 3, Tom Pollock -pitching most of the game for the home team. Joe played five of the -nine innings at first, getting six put-outs, an assist, and no errors -as his share, thereby bettering Foley’s record for one less inning by -two put-outs and an assist. At bat Joe had a gala day, being up three -times and securing as many hits. Foley, as usual, failed to come across -with anything. It was after that Wednesday contest that Joe’s stock -arose appreciably and Jack got Tom Pollock to put that bat-case on -the counter for him to examine! Perhaps, however, that game with the -“Millers” was mainly notable for bringing into prominence young Peddie. -Peddie, now regularly established at second, performed in a way that -was little short of marvellous, taking part in two doubles and working -with Smith even more smoothly than Buster Healey had ever done. He also -secured a timely hit to add to his laurels. George Peddie, in short, -was the hero of that encounter. - -The weather settled down to warm days that made playing a delight and -that brought out the best in everyone. High School’s batting improved -remarkably during the last two weeks in May, and the pitchers began -to come into their own. Toby Williams showed more improvement than -either of the others, but was still far from being the pitcher that Tom -Pollock was. Carl Moran went through six or seven innings occasionally -without misadventure, but was not yet equal to twirling a full game. -Behind the bat Sam Craig was still the same reliable, heady player as -ever, while Jack Speyer was rapidly getting experience as a substitute. -Amesville had a fine outfield in Sidney Morris, Jack Strobe, and Walter -Cummings. Sidney and Jack were especially clever players, with Cummings -promising to be quite as good with more experience. On the whole, -the school looked forward to the Petersburg game on the twenty-first -of June with more confidence than usual. Petersburg had won a scant -majority of the annual contests to date and was always considered -dangerous. But this year, with a fast, smoothly-working infield, two -first-class pitchers, and an outfield of proved excellence, Amesville -considered that she was more than the equal of her old rival. Someone, -however, has said that baseball is two-thirds skill and one-third -luck, and that one-third has often upset the wisest calculations. - -So far Jack and Frank Foley were nip-and-tuck in their race. Neither -had missed a game. Jack tried to say that since Foley scarcely ever -played an entire contest through he was already defeated, but Handsome -Frank――more handsome than ever now that Summer was at hand, with its -better opportunities for sartorial display――reminded his rival of the -terms of the wager. “I said I’d play in more games with outside teams -than you would. I don’t have to play a game through from start to -finish.” - -“It’s a good thing you don’t, then,” laughed Jack. “If you did I’d be -carrying my bat around in that nice leather case right now! All right, -old chap. Go to it. But you’ll have hard work stealing a game on me!” - -“Oh, I don’t know. You might break something or have measles, Jack. I -hear there’s lots of measles around town.” - -“Don’t worry. I’ve had ’em.” - -“I know, but some folks have them two or three times.” Foley grinned -exasperatingly. “Haven’t you got a sort of rash on your forehead there -now?” - -“No, I haven’t! That’s sunburn, you idiot!” - -“Well, take care of yourself, Jack. You never can tell what’s going to -happen.” - -Foley sauntered away, a picturesque figure in immaculate blue serge -and a pale yellow shirt, and Jack watched his departure with mingled -sentiments of admiration and contempt. “Of all the high-faluting -dudes,” muttered Jack, “he’s the high-falutingest! Did you see that -brown straw hat, Chester, with the pleated silk scarf around it? Say, -he’s gone you one better, hasn’t he?” - -The encounter had taken place in the lobby of the Adams Building on a -Saturday morning. Foley and Mr. Chester Young, doubtless drawn together -by their mutual fondness for startling attire, had become very good -friends, and Foley was quite frequently to be found at the news-stand. -Mr. Chester Young, flicking the ashes from his cigarette, smiled -untroubledly. - -“Old stuff,” he said. “They were wearing those in the East last Summer. -The latest straws are higher and just off the straw-colour. I’ve got -one on the way. You have to send to Chicago for them.” - -Joe, who was taking stock of the cigars on hand, smiled and winked at -his partner. “Oh, those are too cheap for Foley,” he said carelessly. - -“Cheap!” exclaimed Young. “Oh, yes, they’re cheap like anything! Ten -dollars is what they stand you, Faulkner.” - -“For one?” gasped Jack. - -“Well, you didn’t think it was for a dozen, did you?” asked Young -pityingly. “That lid Foley’s sporting cost about six. He thinks he’s a -pretty swell little dresser, Foley does. Well, he ain’t so bad, only he -just sort of misses it about every crack he makes. See his socks? Dark -blue they were. They ain’t wearing colours this season.” - -[Illustration: “He thinks he’s a pretty swell little dresser, Foley -does”] - -“They’re not? Help!” Jack regarded his own brown stockings in dismay. -“I’ve got to go home and change, Joe. Honest, this thing of keeping up -with the styles is killing, isn’t it?” - -“It don’t trouble you much,” said Mr. Chester Young indulgently. “If it -did you’d call in that collar you’re wearing.” - -“What’s the matter with my collar?” - -“Nothing, only they don’t wear ’em like that now.” Young put a hand to -his throat and pulled his terra-cotta silk scarf into place. “More like -this.” - -“Oh, I see,” said Jack. “Sort of low and rakish, eh? All right. Live -and learn. Say, Joe, that thing you’re wearing is worse than mine. I -should think you’d be ashamed of yourself!” - -“I’d be ashamed to be seen in one like his,” answered Joe. “Get Meyers -and Fink and tell them to send us a hundred Adams Building conchas and -two boxes of Vistas panatellas, will you? Don’t forget to give these -returns to the news company, Young, when they come today. I’ve been -falling over them for two or three days.” - -“We’re out of City Hall post-cards,” said Young. “And we’re getting -short on some of the others.” - -“They’re on order, thanks. That reminds me, Jack. Those chocolates -aren’t as good as they sent us first. Guess we’d better switch back to -the Cleveland folks. Their packages aren’t quite as dressy, but the -chocolates are a lot better.” - -“There was a fellow in here just before you came,” observed Young, -“trying to sell us candy. I told him to come back later. He had some -new stuff, all right; glazed boxes with crimson ribbons across ’em. -Pretty good-looking line, I thought.” - -“Tell him we don’t want anything when he comes again. How are you off -for magazines there, Young?” - -“Pretty fair. We’ve sold about twenty of those Murray’s. Ought to -order more, I guess.” - -“All right. How many are there there?” - -“Four――no, five. They’ll sell today, I guess. And we’re short of -Mid-Wests. Only two of those here.” - -“I’ll order twenty more Murray’s and ten Mid-Wests.” Joe reached for -the telephone with one hand and searched for a nickel with the other. -“The telephone company is after Mr. Adams to put in a couple of booths -here, Jack. If he lets them do it it’ll make this ’phone cost us money. -Hello! Amesville 430! As it is we’re making about seven dollars a month -on this thing. Hello? News company? This is Adams Building. Send around -twenty Murray’s Monthlies and ten Mid-Wests this noon, will you? I beg -your pardon? No, that’s all. Murray’s and――Yes, I think you’d better. -Make it fifty Murray’s and twenty-five Mid-Wests after this. Good-bye.” -Joe hung up the receiver and put the instrument back in place, and when -Mr. Chester Young had served a customer, remarked: - -“By the way, Young, you don’t seem to be keeping that gang of yours out -of here much better. Yesterday there were six or seven hanging around. -We’ve spoken two or three times about it, you know. We don’t want this -to become a loafing place. Mr. Adams doesn’t like it, and we don’t, -either.” - -“Well, you can’t turn away custom, can you? Those guys spend their -money with you, don’t they?” - -“Not a great deal, I guess,” replied Joe drily. “Anyhow, they don’t pay -rent for this lobby, Young. Keep them moving, please.” - -“All right. But you’d better hire a ‘bouncer,’ Faulkner. I don’t get -paid for insulting my friends.” - -“You tell your friends to come and see you somewhere else,” replied Joe -tartly. “This place looks like a hog-wallow after that crowd has been -standing around a while.” - -“Meaning my friends are hogs, eh?” Mr. Chester Young laughed, but not -with amusement. - -“If they’re friends of yours, Chester,” said Jack, “you’d better shake -them. They’re a cheap lot of corner loafers. They used to hang out -around Foster’s until they got on to the fact that they could come in -here and keep warm. We don’t want them. Get that?” - -“Sure! After this as soon as a customer gets his change I’ll duck out -from here and throw him through the door! That’s fine!” - -“Don’t talk sick,” said Jack shortly. “You know what we mean. If you -don’t encourage them by talking with them they’ll go along, I guess. We -don’t want Mr. Adams putting us out of here, you know.” - -Mr. Chester Young forebore to reply, but there was a world of eloquence -in the way in which he puffed his cigarette and winked at the elevator -attendant across the lobby. - -Later, when the chums were on their way to the field for the game with -Morristown High School, they reverted to Mr. Chester Young. “What do -you know about his paying ten dollars for a straw hat?” demanded Jack. - -“He’s probably adding about five to the price,” said Joe. “Where would -he get that much to pay for a hat? He certainly can’t do it on the -wages we’re paying him.” - -“You said he was having things charged, didn’t you?” - -“Yes, but he told us he was getting the hat from Chicago.” - -“Having Keller send for it, I dare say. Keller’s is the place he buys -hats, because I saw him in there one day looking at some. The first -thing we know, Joey, the sheriff or someone will be descending on us -and taking away the stand!” - -“They can’t do that. We’re not responsible for his debts, thank -goodness! What is pretty certain is that he must be getting near the -end of his rope. We’ll have to be looking for a new clerk pretty soon, -I guess.” - -“If he will hang out until school is over we won’t have to have one. -You can take the stand half the day and I can take it the other half.” - -“Yes, but that won’t be for nearly a month, and I don’t believe Mr. -Chester Young will last that long.” - -“He will probably light out some fine day,” said Jack pessimistically, -“with the cash-register under one arm and the showcase under the other. -I try awfully hard to believe him a fine, honest youth, Joey, but I -never can quite do it!” - - - - -CHAPTER XVII - -IN THE TWELFTH INNING - - -Joe started the game at first that afternoon and had a busy five -innings, for Morristown was a hard-hitting aggregation and slammed Carl -Moran all over the lot during two innings and then tried its best to -do the same with Toby Williams. Sharp fielding alone allowed Carl to -last as long as he did, and it was not until the fourth inning that -the visitors got their first run across. In the meanwhile Amesville -had scored twice, once in the first and once in the third. Sam Craig’s -three-bagger, with George Peddie on first, did the trick in the first -inning, and two hits and a stolen base accounted for the second run. - -It was a snappy game from start to finish, and a good-sized audience -was on hand to enjoy it. Morristown played in hard luck during the -first part of the contest, for, although she hit hard and often, her -hits didn’t earn runs. In fact, it was a dropped ball at the plate that -gave her her single tally in the fourth. Smith’s throw may have been -a bit low, but Sam Craig ought to have held it and had the runner out -by a yard. He didn’t, however, and so when the home team came to bat in -the last of that inning the score was 2 to 1. - -The batting order had been changed subsequent to Buster Healey’s -departure and Hale was hitting in fourth place, followed by Peddie, -Craig, and Faulkner, or Foley. Cummings and the pitcher ended the list. -The new arrangement had not, however, been producing very satisfactory -results. In the fourth Steve Hale started off well by banging out a -liner that was too hot for shortstop to hold and reaching his base -before that player could recover the ball and peg it across. Joe had -two strikes against him before he found one that he liked, and then hit -a slow one to first and sacrificed Hale to second. Sam Craig fouled off -three and finally flied out to left fielder. Cummings made the second -out, third to first, and Toby Williams came up with the task of scoring -Hale from second. Toby wasn’t very much of a batsman, although when he -hit the ball usually travelled far. The Morristown pitcher had been -putting the first delivery over time after time and Toby was instructed -to go after it. He did and he got it, and it whizzed straight down the -third base line, just out of reach of the baseman, and rolled gaily -into deep left while Hale sprinted home and Toby reached second. Smith -brought the inning to an end when, following Toby’s example, he hit the -first ball pitched and slapped it squarely into the pitcher’s glove. - -Neither side scored in the fifth, although the visiting team got men on -third and second on errors by Hale and Smith, and Jack Strobe got to -first on a Texas Leaguer. In neither case could the following batsmen -bring home the bacon. Joe yielded first base to Frank Foley when the -sixth inning began and saw the rest of the game from the bench, save -when, in the eighth, he caught Tom Pollock, who warmed up in case the -visitors should develop a rally. But the game went through to the end -with the score 3 to 1. Morristown did her best to even things up in the -eighth and ninth, but some one of the enemy always managed to get in -front of the ball, and so, although the visitors knocked the ball to -every part of the field, they had to submit to defeat. - -Amesville’s winning streak held for a fortnight and three other games -were played and won. Then came the return contest with Lynton. The -team travelled to the neighbouring town on a cloudy Saturday forenoon, -much in doubt as to whether their journey would prove worth while. -But when, after they had partaken of a hilarious dinner at the Lynton -hotel, they started for the ball grounds, the sun broke through and for -the rest of the afternoon tried its best to broil them. To Joe that -was a memorable game, for it marked his elevation to the position of -regular first baseman. That day, since hitters were needed badly, Frank -Foley remained on the bench throughout the game, and Jack was jubilant. -He had a fine time twitting Foley whenever he came to the bench, and -when the seventh and eighth innings had passed and the deposed first -baseman still squirmed uneasily there in idleness his temper, which had -proved equal to Jack’s gibes during the early innings, quite deserted -him and he earnestly begged Jack to come behind the stand for a few -minutes and see what would happen! But Jack declined the invitation, -politely yet firmly, and Foley, angry clear through, was denied even -that slight consolation. - -That was a pitchers’ battle. Tom Pollock twirled for Amesville, for -Coach Talbot wanted the game, as, you may be certain, did the forty or -fifty patriotic rooters who accompanied the team. Opposed to Tom was -one Corrigan, a shock-headed youth who, it was more than suspected, -would have had difficulty in proving himself a high school pupil in -good standing. Buster Healey, who was among the devoted youths who made -the trip to Lynton, afterward said that he had heard that Corrigan was -an imported article and that he was far more at home in Marion than in -Lynton. That as may be, Corrigan could certainly pitch, as Amesville -soon discovered. Not a safety was made off him until the third inning, -when Tom Pollock smashed out a two-bagger that produced no result. -Corrigan had a slow ball that was the undoing of batsman after batsman. -He mixed it up with fast ones and a couple of hooks and had the -opposing team standing on their heads. And he fielded so well that, as -Sam Craig remarked disgustedly once, the rest of the Lynton team might -just as well have remained on the bench. - -But Corrigan had an opponent in Tom Pollock that was not to be -despised. Perhaps, when all is said, Tom, for once, was outpitched -that day if we go by the final score, but there was little to choose -between the rival moundsmen. Tom proved better at the bat than did -Corrigan, for the latter was a typical pitcher when he went to the -plate and swung harmlessly at the first three deliveries and retired in -a perfectly matter-of-fact way to the bench. If Amesville had trouble -hitting Corrigan, Lynton had as much difficulty getting to Tom. Except -for that two-bagger of Tom’s, not a hit was made by either side until -the fifth. In the fourth two errors by the visitors put a Lynton runner -as far as second, but he died there. Joe was guilty of one of those -miscues when he dropped a perfectly good throw of Hale’s, and Smith -made the other when he fumbled Sam’s throw-down and let the runner -steal second. Lynton made errors, too, but nothing came of them until -the first of the fifth. - -In that inning Sam, the first man up, fouled out to catcher. Joe struck -out and Cummings, with two strikes on him, swung desperately at a -poor one and rolled it toward third base. Third baseman over-ran it, -threw hurriedly and pegged wide of first, and Cummings legged it to -second with lots of time to spare. Amesville’s rooters became audible -for almost the first time since Sam had made his hit, and Tom Pollock -strode to the bat. Discretion seeming the better part of valor, Tom was -promptly passed. That brought Gordon Smith up, with runners on first -and second, and Gordon was not just the batter Coach Talbot would have -chosen for the situation. But the shortstop proved, after all, the man -for the job, for, after cunningly allowing Corrigan to get himself in -a hole, he leaned against a fast ball and streaked it into short right, -scoring Cummings and placing Tom on third. - -Sidney Morris tried very hard to come across, but Corrigan was too -much for him, and Sidney fanned. One run, however, looked very big in -that game, and Amesville breathed a bit easier until, in the last of -the sixth, Lynton tied up the score by a combination of one hit, a -barefaced steal of second and a sacrifice fly. One to one the score -remained until the eighth. Then Corrigan showed the first signs of -weariness and passed Smith. Smith stole second when Morris tried for -a hit and missed it, the catcher getting the throw away too late. -Morris again fanned and Jack, who had determined to profit by his own -advice to Joe, shortened his swing and managed to connect with one -of Corrigan’s offerings. The hit was pretty scratchy, but it placed -Smith on third and left Jack himself safe on first. Hale fouled off -two, spoiling as many attempted steals by Jack, and finally bunted -toward the box. Corrigan held Smith at third and threw out the runner -at first. With Peddie up there seemed a chance for a tally, for Peddie -had been delivering the goods quite regularly. But when Corrigan had -scored two strikes against him the outlook darkened and Sam Craig, -coaching at third, sent Smith to the plate on the wind-up. But Corrigan -was too old a bird to be unsteadied and he slammed the ball swiftly to -the catcher and Smith was nailed a yard away. - -Lynton went out in one, two, three order in her half and the ninth -started with the score still 1 to 1. Peddie struck out and Sam walked. -Joe sacrificed. Cummings hit past third baseman, but Sam Craig was out -at the plate on a fine throw-in by left fielder. The tenth inning was -profitless to both sides. In the first of the eleventh Corrigan wobbled -a little and a base on balls followed by a safe bunt placed two runners -on bases. But Morris, Jack, and Steve Hale went out in order. It was -Tom Pollock’s turn to let down and he did it until Lynton had men on -second and third with but one out. After that, however, Tom steadied, -fanning the next batter and causing the succeeding one to pop up a fly -to Joe. - -It looked very much like a tie game when Peddie had gone out, shortstop -to first baseman, and Sam Craig had fanned in the first of the twelfth -inning, for the visiting team would have to get the five-twelve train -back to Amesville, and it was then well after four o’clock. But many -a game has been pulled out of the fire with two men down, and this -was to prove one of them. Joe went to bat with his mind made up to -hit somehow, somewhere. This would, he was sure, be his last chance -to do anything worth while against the crafty Mr. Corrigan, and he -did want to have something more to show than two weak sacrifices. -He had profited by experience and close study of Corrigan’s methods -and was heartened by assurance when he gripped his bat and faced the -shock-headed twirler. Corrigan seldom pitched the first ball over, and -Joe knew it, and so, although he made a fine show of being anxious -to swing at it, he let it go by and had his judgment sustained by -the umpire’s decision. The next one was a fast ball that looked good -until it broke in front of the plate and just escaped a corner. With -two balls and no strikes, Corrigan became careful. Joe swung at the -third offering and missed it. Corrigan smiled at him, and the catcher, -who usually kept up a running fire of comment, told Joe that he was -a fine, free swinger, “just like a gate, old man, just like a gate!” -Corrigan concluded that the batter was ready to take a chance now and -so he uncorked a fast and high one that had Joe feeling anxious until -the umpire decided that it was a ball. After that, Corrigan had to -make them good, but, with two down, he wasn’t troubled much. His next -offering was one of his famous slow balls, and Joe, having one to -spare, let it severely alone. It proved a strike. - -“One more, now, just like the last!” called the catcher. “Let’s have -it, Jimmy!” - -But Joe knew very well that it wouldn’t be like the last at all, that -Corrigan would change his pace, and, in all likelihood, put a fast one -over in the groove. And that is what happened. And Joe, staking all on -his “hunch,” swung and caught it fairly and streaked down the base-path -and was waved onward by Toby Williams, who was dancing about in the -coacher’s box, and finally pulled up at second, standing, just as the -ball came back from right field. Somehow, that unexpected hit changed -the luck, it seemed. Cummings got his second hit of the game and sent -Joe to third. Tom Pollock was again passed, filling the bases, and Jack -Speyer went in to bat for Gordon Smith. Speyer wasn’t any phenomenon -with the stick, but he had been known to hit lustily. Perhaps in nine -cases out of ten a pinch-hitter proves a broken reed, but this must -have been the tenth time, for there was nothing broken about Speyer. -Probably the fact that he had not been playing kept him from any awe -of Corrigan. At all events, he let the first ball go past unheeded, -untroubledly heard it called a strike, and then swung hard on the next -one. Second baseman made a heroic try for it, but it went a foot over -his upthrust glove and Joe and Walter Cummings trotted over the home -plate. - -That ended the scoring. Sidney Morris hit into third baseman’s hands -and was an easy out. Then all that Amesville had to do was to retire -Lynton in her half of the twelfth, a feat not at all difficult as it -proved. Tom struck out the first man, the second laid down a bunt and -beat out the throw to first, and the third batsman hit into a double, -Smith to Peddie to Joe, and the game was over, the score 3 to 1. -Amesville, cheered and cheering, made a wild dash for the station and -got the five-twelve train by a minute’s margin. - -On the way home Jack tried to sympathise with Frank Foley, but Frank -was in a particularly disagreeable frame of mind, and Jack gave him up -as a bad job. Instead, huddled in a seat with Joe, hugging his knees -ecstatically, he spoke of that bat-case with the air of a proprietor. -“I’m two games ahead of him, Joey,” he exulted. “He will have to play -in two more than I do now to win, and he will never do it! Not this -year! You’ve cabbaged that place for keeps, Joey. Why, even if you -dropped half the throws you got, Bat couldn’t do without you! Not after -the way you lambasted that old pill today, son! It’s a cinch!” - -“You can’t tell,” began Joe. - -But Jack would have nothing to do with doubts. “Piffle! It’s all over -with Handsome Frank, I tell you. You win!” Jack was silent a moment. -Then he laughed rather queerly, and, in answer to Joe’s questioning -look, said: “It’s funny, but, do you know, I’m sort of sorry for Frank! -Isn’t that silly?” - -“So am I,” replied Joe truthfully. - -“Well!” Jack took a deep breath and abandoned regrets. “To the victor -belong the spoils, as the poet so beautifully puts it! And it’s been a -pretty little fight!” - -However, had Jack but known it, his sympathy for Frank Foley was, in a -measure, at least, somewhat premature! - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII - -EMPTY BOXES - - -June had come and the end of school loomed close at hand. So, too, -loomed the final baseball game with Petersburg. It is an unfortunate -thing for ardent athletes that the crowning contests of the year arrive -simultaneously with final examinations! There is no doubt in the -world but that examinations seriously interfere with a whole-hearted -application to sports. Most of the members of the Amesville team were -agreed that something ought to be done about it; such, for instance, as -abolishing the examinations! However, Petersburg was in no better case, -and that evened matters up. - -Amesville dropped a couple of games the second week in June, just to -vary the monotony, perhaps, and then came back and overwhelmed Crowell -Academy with a score of 10 to 1. Crowell was a much-heralded team from -a down-State preparatory school, and Amesville did well to pile up the -score she did, especially as, at the last moment, Tom Pollock found -that he couldn’t pitch and Jack Strobe sent word that someone would -have to take his place in left field! Jack, who had been complaining -for a day or two of a sore throat, was, it seemed, prohibited from -playing by an unfeeling doctor. Loomis went into left field and Toby -Williams took the mound, and both performed creditably. In fact, Toby -rather covered himself with glory that day, having eight strike-outs -to his credit when the fray was over. Joe played all through at first, -as he had been doing since the second Lynton engagement, and put up a -rattling good game. Even Frank Foley’s adherents had to acknowledge -that the new first baseman had everything the deposed one had, and, -when it came to batting, a good deal more. Joe didn’t particularly -distinguish himself at the bat this day, but he got a clean single and -a base on balls in four times up. Foley had been used in the last two -contests for an inning or two at second base, but it was generally -conceded that he was now only a substitute, with small likelihood of -getting into either of the two remaining contests. - -After the game that Wednesday afternoon Joe hurried to Jack’s house -and demanded audience of that afflicted person. But, to his surprise -and dismay, Mrs. Strobe met him with the information that Jack was -suffering from a severe attack of quinsy and that the doctor had -prohibited visitors, since the disease was more or less contagious. Joe -had to be satisfied with sending a message to his chum. That evening, -however, Jack called him up on the telephone and bewailed his luck. The -only comfort Jack appeared able to derive from the situation lay in the -fact that Frank Foley had not stolen a march on him by playing that -afternoon. - -“The doc says I’ll have to stay at home until Monday, at least,” he -said. “I’ll lose Saturday’s game. If Frank manages to get into that and -then should play for an inning against Petersburg, as he’s likely to, -it’s all off! Isn’t that the dickens? Just when I thought I had that -wager cinched, too!” - -Joe was properly sympathetic and Jack finally rang off, exacting a -promise from Joe to call up the next day. Aunt Sarah insisted that Joe -should spray his throat after the interview. It didn’t do, she said, -to take risks, and for her part she was far from convinced that folks -couldn’t catch things over the telephone! - -When, the next afternoon, on the way to the field, Joe stopped in at -a drug store and called up Jack it was Mrs. Strobe who answered. -Jack, she said, was not so well today and she thought it best for him -not to try to talk. Joe went on to practice feeling rather worried -about his chum, and wasn’t comforted until Mr. Talbot had assured -him that quinsy seldom, if ever, resulted fatally. On Friday there -was no practice for the players, and Joe, rather at a loose-end, -accepted Sidney Morris’s invitation to go to the “movies.” It was well -after five when he reached the Adams Building. Mr. Chester Young was -talking in a low voice with a man who looked to Joe very much like a -bill-collector. Whoever he was, he presently departed with no great -show of satisfaction. The day’s business had been, Joe discovered, -surprisingly poor, the register showing less than nine dollars. And -when Young reminded Joe that it was pay-day, Joe had to dig into his -pocket for enough to make up the difference between the cash on hand -and the amount of the clerk’s wages. - -He called up the Strobes on the telephone after supper and talked for -a few minutes with Mr. Strobe. That gentleman announced that Jack was -feeling pretty mean, but that the doctor thought he was doing as well -as could be expected and that he would probably be out and about by -the first of the week. After that Joe settled down to two hours of hard -study in preparation for next week’s examinations, wrote a long letter -to his mother and finally went to bed just as midnight sounded. - -In the morning he went back to the news-stand and remained there until -noon. Saturday was usually the best day of the week for business, -possibly because many of the offices paid off their employees then, -and today both Joe and Young were kept busy attending to the wants of -customers. When Joe went home for dinner the sales had already mounted -to over fifteen dollars and gave promise of atoning for the poor -business of the day previous. - -The game that afternoon was with Chelmsford High School and was looked -on as more of a practice contest than a real game. It was the last -contest before the Petersburg battle on the following Wednesday, and -Amesville had purposely chosen an easy victim for the occasion. But at -that the home team had to work fairly hard for half a dozen innings -before the game was safely laid away, and, as it happened, it was Joe -who was chiefly instrumental in that ceremony. - -Chelmsford had two runs and Amesville three when the last of the sixth -started. Amesville had been playing raggedly and batting weakly -against an easy pitcher, and only the fact that her opponent had been -unable to do much with Tom Pollock’s delivery had kept her ahead. Tom -gave place to Carl Moran in the fifth and, ultimately, Carl retired -in favour of Toby Williams. In that last of the sixth Sam Craig, who -was batting in third place owing to Jack’s absence, got to first on -a scratch hit. Hale was an easy out, third to first, and Peddie was -passed. The watchers were eager for runs and when Joe went to the -plate, swinging his bat, there came cries of “All right, Lucky! Smash -it out!” “Bring ’em in, Lucky! Make it a homer!” Joe had never made -a home-run in his life and didn’t expect to now, but when, after the -runners had attempted a double steal and got away with it, he found a -nice, straight ball coming right for the middle of the plate, Joe took -a little longer swing, put a little more strength into it, and the deed -was done! It was a long way around those bases, he thought, but he -didn’t have to hurry after he got to third, for the ball had gone into -the left corner of the field and rolled up against the fence! He jogged -across the plate finally to the laughing applause of the stands and was -thumped on the back by hilarious team-mates. - -Perhaps Coach Talbot thought Joe had done enough for one afternoon, -for, when the seventh inning began, Joe found, to his surprise, that he -was superseded at first base by Frank Foley! - -“I’m glad,” he said to himself, “that Jack can’t hear of it. He’d -probably have a relapse and die!” - -Joe watched the rest of the game from the bench and tried not to be a -little bit glad when Foley failed to capture an easy infield fly. The -game finally ended with the score 7 to 3, and he walked back to town -with the rest and reached the Adams Building at a little after five -to find, to his surprise, that the stand was deserted. Supposing that -Young would be back in a moment, Joe went behind the counter and waited -on a customer. But no Mr. Chester Young appeared, and when Joe rang -up the sale and so viewed the drawer of the cash register he thought -he knew why! There was not a cent in it except the dime he had just -dropped there! - -His first sensation was, oddly enough, one of satisfaction over the -fact that his original impression of the shifty-eyed young man had -been, after all, correct! But that satisfaction didn’t last long. The -realization that he and Jack had been barefacedly robbed of at least -twenty-five dollars took its place and Joe’s countenance became grim. -To add insult to injury, he reflected, Young had had the cheek to -demand his wages on the eve of his flight――and get them! Inquiry of -Walter, the elevator boy, elicited the information that Mr. Chester -Young had complained of feeling unwell and had announced that he was -going over to the drug store for some medicine. That had been, as near -as Walter could recall, about a quarter to five. It might have been a -little before that. Walter evidently had no suspicions and Joe didn’t -enlighten him. - -The exodus from the building was under way now and for a good half-hour -Joe was busy selling papers and cigars and cigarettes, together with -an occasional box of candy. But he had plenty of time for thinking, -and long before the elevators had brought down their last loads he had -determined his course. A hasty survey of the stock in sight showed -conclusively that the stand had done a phenomenal business since -morning, but it was not until he thought to look under the counter that -the real extent of Mr. Young’s depredations came to light. - -On the shelves they kept anywhere from thirty to sixty dollars’ worth -of cigars, cigarettes and other goods for which there was not room -above. At first glance everything seemed all right, but when Joe -picked up a box of “Adams Building” conchas and, bringing it to light, -discovered it to be quite empty, he knew what to expect of the rest -of the stock. When he had pulled all the boxes and packages out their -contents would not have fetched two dollars! Only one cigar box held -cigars, and then only a handful. Evidently Mr. Young had craftily -replaced the full boxes with empty ones and, not having enough of the -latter, had been forced to put in one from the case that still held a -few cigars. It was the same with the cigarette cartons. Only one was -not absolutely empty. - -Joe surveyed the litter behind the counter and tried to think it out. -At first he couldn’t understand what use the cigars could be to Young. -Of course, he might take them away to another town and sell them, but -eight boxes of them, as well as several packages of cigarettes and -smoking tobacco, would make rather a conspicuous bundle to carry. -Then a light broke on him and he quickly lifted the receiver from the -telephone instrument on the counter and called up Meyers and Fink. -Fortunately, they were still open, and after a moment Joe got the -information he expected. - -“Yes, that clerk of yours came in here about three o’clock today with -seven boxes of cigars and some cigarettes and smoking tobacco. Said -you were overstocked and wanted to return them. We paid him cash for -them. We were going to credit them, but he said you wanted the money. -Anything wrong?” - -“How much did you pay him?” asked Joe. - -“Forty-six dollars and something; I’ll give you the exact amount if -you’ll wait a minute.” - -“Thanks, that’s near enough,” replied Joe. “I’ll be around to see you -Monday. Good-night.” - -“Forty-six from them,” reckoned Joe, “about twenty-five from today’s -sales and, unless I’m mistaken, a knock-down yesterday of perhaps five -more. About seventy-five dollars altogether. That’s going to make an -awful dent in this month’s profits if we don’t get it back! But,” he -added grimly to himself as he locked up for the night and turned the -light out, “I think we will!” - - - - -CHAPTER XIX - -JOE ACCEPTS A LOAN - - -The notion of calling up Jack and acquainting him with what had -happened came to him, but was dismissed after a moment’s reflection. -Jack was ill and the news would only worry and excite him. Instead, as -he hurried up Main Street, Joe decided to call up Aunt Sarah and excuse -himself from supper on a plea of business. Aunt Sarah wouldn’t like it, -for she still viewed the news-stand with suspicion. But perhaps Aunt -Sarah detected the anxiety in Joe’s voice when he telephoned, for she -asked no questions and was really quite pleasant, only informing him a -trifle wistfully that there was beefstew this evening and that Amanda -was making some of her delectable dumplings! - -After that hurried talk over the wire Joe turned into Aspen Street, -walked three blocks west and finally rang the bell at the door of a -rather down-at-heels brick house that stood by itself almost in the -shadow of the frowning carpet mills. When a dejected and at the -same time suspicious-looking middle-aged woman answered the bell Joe -inquired if she were Mrs. Young. - -“There’s no Mrs. Young lives around here,” was the reply. “My name’s -Bennett.” - -“Does Chester Young live here, ma’am?” - -“Are you a friend of his?” was the quick demand. - -“My name is Faulkner, Mrs. Bennett. He worked for me in the Adams -Building.” - -“He did, eh? Then maybe you’ll be payin’ me two weeks’ board he’s -owin’. Did he send you with the money?” - -“No, I haven’t seen him since noon. That’s why I came over here. I -thought perhaps I’d find him.” - -“Well, you won’t, then. He’s skipped!” - -“Skipped?” exclaimed Joe. “Gone for good, you mean?” - -“He’s gone owin’ me two weeks’ board, which is nine dollars, and fifty -cents he borrowed off me the day he came here. He was always promisin’ -to pay it, but he never done it, and him bein’ out of work I didn’t -press him at first and then afterwards he kept sayin’ he’d pay me every -day. I’m a poor, hard-workin’ woman, and I need the money. Maybe -you’re after owin’ him wages, now?” - -“I’m not. I wish I were, Mrs. Bennett. I’m sorry he left without -settling with you, ma’am. Could you tell me where he’s gone?” - -“I can not. If I knew I’d be settin’ the police on him, never fear! -From the first I suspicioned him, the dirty rascal, but he had a smooth -tongue on him and was always promisin’ he’d pay tomorrow. If I knew -where he’d gone to I’d not be gabbin’ here in the doorway! ’Twas while -I was out to the store after dinner he sneaked in and packed his bag -and took it away with him, knowin’ I’d not stand for it if I was by. -Two weeks’ money and the half-dollar――――” - -“And you can’t tell me whether he’s left town or just changed his -lodgings, Mrs. Bennett?” - -“All I know is he’s gone, bad luck to him! Is he maybe owin’ you money, -too, sir?” - -“A little, yes. I’m much obliged, ma’am. Good-night.” - -“If you find him now, let me know, sir. That’s all I’m askin’ you. -Just you let me know, sir! The dirty scallawag! Cheatin’ a poor, -hard-workin’ woman out of her money!” - -The door slammed and Joe stumbled back to the uncertain sidewalk and -retraced his steps along the ill-lighted street. When he reached -Indiana Street he unhesitatingly turned southward and five minutes -later saw the lights of the railroad ahead. His course had already been -determined and the visit to Mr. Chester Young’s lodgings had been made -with little hope of either finding the defaulting clerk or gaining -useful information. Chester had given Joe the impression that he lived -with his mother, which accounted for the latter mistaking the identity -of the woman at the door. Chester, it seemed, was a very tricky young -man. - -At the station Joe examined the time-table in the waiting-room. Chester -had left the building somewhere about a quarter to five. At five-two -a train had left for Fostoria, Fremont and Sandusky, connecting at -Fremont for Toledo. There was no train between that and a quarter -to five and none afterwards until twenty minutes to six, when the -south-bound express had left for Columbus. Everything indicated the -five-two as the train Chester had taken if, as Joe suspected, he had -really left Amesville. The ticket window was closed, but a rap on the -door gained him admittance to the little room wherein the agent was -seated at the telegraph instrument. He looked up inquiringly, nodded, -worked the key a moment, listened to the reply, and then swung around -in his swivel chair. - -“Well, sir, what’s troubling you?” he asked gaily. - -“I wanted to ask if you remembered selling a ticket to a fellow for the -five-two train,” stated Joe. - -“Maybe. What sort of a fellow? There were only nine passengers from -here on Number 14, so far as I know. What did he look like?” - -Joe’s description was clear and concise and the agent nodded again. “I -remember the chap,” he said. “He bought to――Hold on, now. What business -is it of yours, my boy? Is he a friend of yours, or what’s the game?” - -“He worked for me at the news-stand in the Adams Building and left -suddenly about a quarter to five. I went to his house and the landlady -said he’d taken his baggage and gone. I――I want to see him and ask him -something.” - -“Do, eh?” The agent grinned. “How much did he touch you for?” - -Joe smiled non-committingly. - -“Well, that’s not my business, eh?” laughed the agent. “All right, son, -I’ll tell you what I know about the lad. He bought a ticket to Upper -Newton. I remember it distinctly because he called for a Fostoria -ticket first and changed his mind just as I stamped it. I asked him if -he was quite sure this time and he said he guessed he was. Yep, Upper -Newton, that was it. He carried a yellow suit-case. I noticed that as -he went out to the platform just before I closed the window.” - -“And where’s Upper Newton?” asked Joe. “Is it very far?” - -“About twenty-four or -five miles.” - -“When does the next train go there?” - -“Seven-thirty-six. But, say, if you’re thinking of going after him I -wouldn’t count a whole lot on finding him at Upper Newton. That’s not -much more than a flag station. I wouldn’t wonder if he bought for there -just to throw folks off the track. Dare say he’ll pay his way on to -Fostoria or, maybe, Fremont. At Fremont he could get east or west as -he liked. There’s a through train connects there for Toledo and beyond -and one going east about eleven tonight. Take my advice and stay where -you are, son. You’ll never catch him unless you want to put the police -after him. If you care for that I’d advise you to go back up-town and -tell your story to the chief. How much did he pinch from you?” - -“I didn’t say he’d stolen anything,” said Joe. - -“I know you didn’t. But, if he had, how much would it have been?” - -Joe hesitated. Then, smiling: “About seventy-five dollars,” he said. -“But I’d rather you didn’t say anything.” - -“I’m dumb. Say, where does he live when he’s at home?” - -“I don’t know. He worked in Columbus before he came here.” - -“Well, he’s headed straight away from Columbus, hasn’t he? I guess -he’s maybe going to Sandusky and take a boat. Still, seventy dollars -won’t take him far.” The agent was silent a moment, rapping a pencil -thoughtfully on the desk in front of him. Then: “Tell you what I’ll -do,” he exclaimed, sitting up with a thump of his chair. “I’ll wire -Harris on Fourteen and ask him if the fellow got off at Upper Newton or -paid his fare on the train to Fostoria or beyond! How’s that?” - -“I wish you would! It’s very kind of you. I suppose I couldn’t catch -him if he’s gone on, though.” - -“Well, we’ll find out, anyhow.” The agent flicked a time-table to -him, ran a finger down a column, glanced at the clock and then began -jabbing the telegraph key. “I’ll get Tiverton to give him the -message,” he explained as he waited a reply. “Fourteen gets there in -seven minutes if she’s on time. Here we are!” The sounder in its little -box ticked rapidly and stopped and the agent busied himself again with -the key. Joe, who had seated himself in a chair, watched and waited. -Presently the agent’s hand left the key and he faced around again. - -“Twelve minutes late, he says. I’ve asked Harris to answer from -Mittenton. We ought to get a reply in about twenty-five minutes.” - -“Is Tiverton beyond Upper Newton?” inquired Joe. - -“Yes, about six miles. Harris will know if your man got off there, -because there wouldn’t be more than two or three for a small station -like that. If he didn’t he’d have to buy to some place further along -and Harris would remember making out his check.” - -“I see. What did you say to that agent?” - -“I said, ‘Harris, Conductor Number 14. Did slick guy about twenty-two -old leave train at Upper Newton? If not, what’s his destination? -Important. Reply from Mittenton. CHASE, Agent, Amesville.’” - -“Thanks,” said Joe. “Then we’d ought to get an answer about twenty -minutes past seven. What time does that train go? Seven-thirty?” - -“Thirty-six. Mittenton will shoot that right back. So you’ll have -plenty of time to get Number 49 if you want it.” - -“Fostoria is the first big town, isn’t it?” - -“Yep. He might be stopping off there. Anyway, he asked for Fostoria -first. That might be his home. I guess, though, he wouldn’t be fool -enough to go home. He’d know folks would look for him there right away.” - -“How much is the fare to Fostoria, please?” - -“One-twenty-four.” - -“And how much is it to that other place where you said he might change?” - -“Fremont? Fremont’s a dollar and forty-five.” - -Joe looked thoughtful. He had, as he knew, only something like a dollar -and eighty cents in his pocket, which would come very far from being -sufficient. If he went back to the house he might borrow enough from -Aunt Sarah and he might not. Aunt Sarah seldom kept more than a dollar -or two on hand, and it would be folly to start out for Fremont or -Sandusky with less than six or seven dollars in his pocket. He tried to -think of some other place to get the money. There was Mr. Strobe, but -Joe had a dim idea that Jack had said something about his father going -to Chicago the day before. Perhaps the agent would know whether Mr. -Strobe was out of town. He looked across to find that person viewing -him smilingly. - -“Not enough, eh?” he asked. - -Joe grinned and shook his head. “Not nearly enough. I guess I ought to -have six or seven dollars. Do you know whether Mr. Strobe’s in town?” - -“I know he left for the West yesterday morning. Whether he’s back or -not I can’t say. He carries mileage, so I don’t know where he started -for. Is he a friend of yours?” - -“Yes. His son, Jack, and I run that news-stand together. I thought if -he was at home I’d run up there while we’re waiting and ask him to lend -me about five dollars.” - -“I guess you wouldn’t find him. Where’s the son?” - -“He’s at home, but he’s ill with quinsy. I wouldn’t want to trouble -Jack with the business right now.” - -“What’s your name?” - -“Joseph Faulkner.” - -“All right, son, I’ll be your banker.” The agent thrust a hand in his -pocket and brought out some crumpled bills and a lot of silver. “Five -enough? You’d better have more, hadn’t you?” - -“Oh, no, thanks; five is quite enough. It’s mighty good of you, -Mister――Mister――――” - -“Chase. Don’t mention it. Pay it back some time in a week and I shan’t -miss it. Here you are.” - -Joe accepted the crumpled bills and repeated his thanks. At that moment -the assistant came in and the agent, greeting him, introduced Joe. -“Faulkner,” he explained, “is waiting for a message from Harris on -Fourteen. It’ll probably come in from Mittenton before I get back, Jim. -Get it straight, will you, and give to him?” He turned to Joe as he -reached for his coat and hat behind the door. “Had your supper yet?” he -asked. “No? Well, you don’t want to start off without something inside -you. Come on over to the Palace and coal-up.” - -The Palace proved to be the identical small restaurant which had -exhaled that enticing fragrance of coffee the morning of Joe’s arrival -in Amesville. The repast, though simple, was well cooked, and Joe, who -had forgotten all about supper, now discovered himself to be extremely -hungry. Under the benign influence of a cup of steaming-hot coffee he -confided the whole story to Mr. Chase and the latter gave flattering -attention. - -“I remember reading in the paper about that cigar-stand of yours,” he -said. “You had a box and let folks put their money in it, didn’t you? -Did it work?” - -“Yes, but sometimes folks didn’t have the right change and then we lost -a sale. So Jack and I decided we’d better hire someone to be there when -we couldn’t. We neither of us liked the looks of Young very much, but -we put in a cash register and thought it would be all right.” - -“What you needed, I guess, was a safe,” replied the agent drily. -“Well, I hope you catch him, but, to be honest about it, Faulkner, I -don’t believe you will. If he gets off at Upper Newton you’ll be able -to trace him, I dare say, and you may if he goes on to Fostoria or -Fremont; they’re smallish towns; but if he reaches Sandusky or Toledo -it’ll be like looking for a needle in a haystack! What I’d do if I were -you is go right to the police and put it up to them.” - -“Maybe that would be the best way,” agreed Joe doubtfully. “But, -somehow, I don’t like to. Everyone would know about it, you see, and -if――if Young didn’t exactly mean to pinch the money――――” - -“Didn’t mean to! You don’t suppose, do you, that it got stuck to his -fingers and he couldn’t get it off?” asked the agent ironically. - -“No.” Joe flushed faintly. “What I mean is that it would be too bad to -have him arrested, because he might never do a thing like that again.” - -“Well, please yourself. I don’t think he deserves much consideration, -though.” He chuckled. “It would be a good plan to get him back here and -let that landlady you told about get at him! I’ll bet that would be -worse than a year in jail! If you’re through we’ll hike across and see -if that answer has come.” - -There was some discussion as to who was to pay for Joe’s repast, but -the agent finally silenced protest by agreeing to accept a handful of -cigars if Joe’s mission succeeded. It was twenty minutes past seven -by the waiting-room clock when they got back to the station and the -message was awaiting them. - -“Passenger held ticket to Upper Newton, but stayed on and bought to -Fremont. Made inquiry about east-bound trains tonight. If you want him -pinched say the word. HARRIS.” - -“Fremont, eh?” Mr. Chase seized the time-table and studied it a moment. -“He can’t get an east-bound until ten-fifty-five. There’s a local to -Norwalk, though, at nine-forty-seven. He might take that. Or he may -have asked about the east-bound trains just to throw us off the track!” -He looked thoughtfully at Joe a moment. Then, decisively: “That’s -his game all right! He means to take the eight o’clock express to -Toledo! If he does――Hold on, though! Jim, ask how late Fourteen was at -Fostoria. That express doesn’t wait but five minutes for connections -and Fourteen was twelve minutes late at Mittenton. She might make that -up, but she makes all stops and I don’t believe she will. If he misses -the eight o’clock he can’t get west until ten-four.” - -“Fourteen was nineteen minutes late at Fostoria,” announced the -assistant. “Left there at twenty-two.” - -“Good!” exclaimed Mr. Chase. “That’ll bring her to Fremont about -eight-seventeen if she doesn’t lose any more time, and she’s likely to -keep on losing now. If you take the thirty-six”――he glanced swiftly at -the clock――“you’re due in Fremont at nine-forty-eight. That’ll give you -sixteen minutes there before the west-bound pulls out. If he means -to take that he will be waiting around the station and you’ll catch -him.” He swung around toward the assistant. “Jim, send this to Harris -at Fremont: ‘Did passenger get off at Fremont? If so, do you know his -destination? CHASE.’ If Harris wires back that he got off this side -or has gone on to Sandusky I’ll telegraph you at Fostoria. If you -don’t get any message it’ll mean that your party got off at Fremont -and Harris doesn’t know where he’s headed for. You’d better loosen -up now and get your ticket. Your train will be here in four minutes. -Forty-nine’s on time, isn’t she, Jim?” - -“O. T. at Fountain,” was the reply. “There she whistles now.” - -Five minutes later, having set Aunt Sarah’s mind at rest by telephone, -Joe was seated in a day-coach and Number 49 was leaving the Amesville -lights behind her on her northward journey. - - - - -CHAPTER XX - -PURSUIT - - -Forty-nine was a faster train than the one on which Mr. Chester Young -had embarked and made but five stops between Amesville and Fremont, -but to Joe it seemed that she took things in an irritatingly leisurely -manner. With but sixteen minutes’ leeway at the end of his journey, he -was momentarily in fear that something would happen to detain them, and -he viewed his watch anxiously as, having made a perfectly ridiculous -stop of four minutes at Folkstone, Forty-nine rolled off again into -the night. However, a comparison of his time and that indicated on the -time-table with which he had armed himself showed no discrepancy, and -he settled back in his seat with a sigh of relief. Fostoria was the -next stop and he anxiously awaited it, wondering whether he would find -a message from the agent. - -Now that he was absolutely embarked on his mission he began to wonder -if he was not undertaking a foolish and hopeless quest. It had looked -quite simple and easy back there at Amesville, but doubts assailed him -now. There were so many chances against success. Young might go on -to Sandusky or he might lose himself in Fremont, deciding to remain -the night there, or he might take that local to Norwalk. Even if Joe -found him he might be no better off! How was he to persuade Young to -give up the money? If he called on the police for help there might be -all sorts of complications. Joe wasn’t certain that it would not be -necessary for him to swear out a warrant first, by which time Young -would be on his way to Toledo or elsewhere. He took out his money and -counted it over. He had exactly five dollars and thirty-seven cents -left after purchasing his ticket to Fremont. Of that amount a dollar -and forty-five cents would be needed for his journey back to Amesville. -A dollar-forty-five from five-thirty-seven left three dollars and -ninety-two cents. On that he could travel something like a hundred and -thirty miles, he reflected. Very well, then. He would go along with -Young until that youth made restitution or until he had exhausted what -money he had. After that he would telegraph to Aunt Sarah for money -to get home with. In any case, the police were to have no part in the -affair! - -The train slowed down while he was reaching this decision and the -trainman, opening the door ahead, let in a gust of cold air and -announced Fostoria. Another seemingly interminable wait, and then the -train went on again, and just as Joe had given up hope of that message -it came. - -“Telegram for Joseph Faulkner,” said the conductor questioningly as he -came through the car. - -“That’s me, please,” said Joe. - -“Here you are, then, my boy.” Joe took the sheet of buff paper and -read: “Amesville. Jos. Faulkner, on No. 49, Fostoria. Harris wires -party got off Fremont and said he was going to Cleveland. Think that’s -a stall. Toledo the best guess. Good luck. CHASE.” - -Joe folded the message and put it in his pocket. Undoubtedly Mr. Chase -was right about it. Young would not announce his real destination and -if he had said Cleveland it was safe to say that he meant to journey in -another direction. Joe settled back again, tipped his cap over his eyes -to keep the light out and tried to plan what he should do and say if -he was lucky enough to discover Young at Fremont. In the end, though, -he reached no very clear conclusion, and while he was still trying to -formulate a speech with which to greet the absconding clerk the train -rattled over the switches, green and purple and red and white lights -flashed past the window and the trainman was bawling: - -“Fremont! Fremont! Change for Norwalk, Elyria, Cleveland, Toledo, and -points east and west! This train for Sandusky and Port Clinton!” - -Joe followed a dozen other passengers through the car door and down -to the platform. A glance at his watch had shown him that Forty-nine, -in spite of her unhurried progress, had arrived exactly on time. -Consequently he had sixteen minutes in which to search the station and -platform before the west-bound express drew out. He still kept his -cap pulled down in front, trusting that if Mr. Chester Young saw him -he would not recognise him. The platform was fairly crowded and Joe -made his way along to the door of the waiting-room, keeping as much as -possible out of sight. It took but a moment to satisfy himself that -his quarry was not inside. Then he went on to the end of the platform -without result, retraced his steps, reached the other end and paused -there in the shadow of a piled-up truck. Mr. Chester Young was not -to be seen. Five minutes had already gone by. Joe’s hope began to -dwindle. After all, he reflected, it had been too much to expect; -given a start of two hours and a half, Young would have been an idiot -if he had not eluded pursuit. And yet, on the other hand, what reason -had Young to suppose that either of the boys whose money he had taken -would go to the length of chasing him down? Joe didn’t believe that -Young would give either him or Jack credit for having enough enterprise -to do that. And if he didn’t really expect pursuit he wouldn’t try very -hard to elude it. - -Joe gathered courage again and sought the ticket-window in the -waiting-room. By this time the platform had almost emptied, but at the -ticket-window several persons were in line and now and then the door -opened to admit other passengers for the west-bound train. Joe gave up -the idea of inquiring of the ticket-seller and inspected a time-table -instead. The west-bound arrived in Fremont at nine-fifty-nine and -remained there five minutes. It would come in, then, in just five -minutes if it was on time. That put another idea in his head and he -went back to the platform, keeping his eyes peeled, and sought the -bulletin board there. “No. 16,” he read, “due 9:59, 15 mins. late.” - -That, he told himself, would give him more time. He remained where he -was and kept his gaze on the door of the waiting-room. The platform -began to fill up again. A four-car local pulled in, emptied its -contents and puffed out. The clock pointed to one minute of ten now. -It was chilly out there on the platform, for a north wind was blowing -down from Lake Erie, and Joe’s thoughts travelled toward the gleaming -coffee-urn he had glimpsed a few minutes back. For a moment he debated -whether he should seek it and spend a nickel of his small fund, but -he decided not to. If Young did put in an appearance he wanted to -know it as soon as possible. And at that moment his gaze, travelling -over the platform, alighted on the form of a man carrying a suit-case -and making his way along toward where Joe was standing with his -back to the building. For an instant Joe thought that the other had -seen him and was going to speak. But it was the bulletin board that -was the attraction, and Joe, turning aside to escape detection in a -sudden spasm of nervousness, smelt the odour of a cigarette that was -very familiar, heard the other’s grunt of impatience as he read the -inscription on the board, and the tread of his feet as he strode away -again. - -Then a mild panic seized Joe and he darted forward. Someone got in -front of him. He dodged around and his heart sank, for his first -anxious look failed to discover the form it sought. He was already -regretting his timorousness when he spied his quarry entering the -waiting-room. Joe sped after him. Mr. Chester Young was making his -way to the ticket window. Joe made a detour and closed in behind -him. At the window he stood at his elbow while he purchased a ticket -for Toledo. Young had, it appeared, plenty of money, for he gave a -twenty-dollar bill to the ticket-seller and caused that busy gentleman -to scowl as he made change. Then Young turned away, walked to the end -of a bench, set his bag down, and proceeded to place the bills and -silver in his purse. - -Joe, his heart thumping hard, walked across to him, a slight smile -around his mouth. When he was a yard away Young glanced up and a look -of surprise and consternation came into his face. - -“Hello, Young,” said Joe pleasantly. “I was afraid I’d missed you.” - - - - -CHAPTER XXI - -ON THE WEST-BOUND - - -Young’s first act was to slip the purse into a pocket of his overcoat, -even as his gaze darted stealthily around the waiting-room, and he -summoned a smile, not a particularly gladsome smile, to his face. Joe -noticed the eternal cigarette tremble between his lips. Then: - -“Why, hello, Faulkner,” said Mr. Chester Young. “How are you?” - -“All right, thanks,” replied Joe, his eyes unconsciously dropping for -an instant to that pocket into which the fat purse had disappeared. -“Sit down a minute, will you; I want to talk to you.” - -“Can’t do it,” answered the other briskly, buttoning his coat with none -too steady fingers. “Fact is, I’m running up to Detroit and my train is -leaving in about half a minute. I suppose you were surprised to find -me gone, eh? Well, you see, I got a telegram this afternoon telling me -that my father was very ill and I had to beat it off on the five-two. I -was going to write and explain to you. I’ll do that, anyway. Glad to -have seen you again. You keep that job open for me until Saturday and -I’ll be back for it. Good-night.” He held out his hand and Joe took it. - -“Your train’s fifteen minutes late,” said Joe calmly. “So there’s no -hurry. Sit down.” He still held Young’s hand and now pulled him gently -toward the seat. Young resisted, but Joe’s clasp was a strong one, and -unless he wanted to indulge in a scuffle there was nothing to do but -give in. But it was a different Mr. Chester Young who faced Joe now. He -tossed aside his cigarette and observed his captor defiantly. - -“Well, what you got to say, Faulkner?” he demanded. - -“I suppose you know why I’m here?” asked Joe. - -“Never mind what I know. Get down to business. What’s your game?” - -“My game’s to collect seventy-five dollars from you, Young. I ought to -charge the costs of collection, too, I guess, but we’ll let that go. If -you want to send nine dollars back by me to Mrs. Bennett, though, I’ll -be glad to take it.” - -Young laughed softly. “And why should I hand seventy-five dollars over -to you, Faulkner? What do you think I am, a national bank?” - -“If you want an itemized account,” responded Joe patiently, “I can -oblige you. But your train will be leaving in about twelve minutes, you -know. Roughly, the cigars and things you turned back to the dealers -amounted to forty-seven dollars――――” - -Young’s expression changed enough to show that he had not expected Joe -to have knowledge of that transaction. - -“And you got about thirty out of the cash register yesterday and today. -That foots up to seventy-seven, and――――” - -“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” interrupted Young angrily, -but without raising his voice. “Someone’s been stalling you. You’d -better go back to Amesville and soak your head, sport. You’re too -innocent to be so far from home.” - -“Ten minutes to train time now,” said Joe. “Come across, Young. You’re -beaten, and you know it.” - -“Why, you silly chump, you can’t hold me up for money like this! I -haven’t got that much, anyway, and if I had I wouldn’t be likely to -pass it over to you. You must be crazy! You ought to get a job in a -squirrel cage!” - -“If you haven’t seventy-five it’s going to be awkward,” said Joe -reflectively. “I thought that probably you’d hand it over and there -wouldn’t have to be any trouble about it. I hate to get my name in the -papers, but if I have to all right.” - -“Quit your joking,” growled Young. “For two cents I’d knock your -head off. There’s my train and I can’t stop here chewing the rag any -longer.” He got up, bag in hand and grinned mockingly down at the -other. “Give my love to Strobe when you get back, sport. So long.” - -Joe sighed regretfully and stood up. “All right,” he murmured. “There’s -no hurry. I don’t mind seeing a little of the world while I’m at it. I -dare say Toledo or Detroit is quite worth visiting.” - -Young, who had started toward the door, turned. “If you try to follow -me,” he said menacingly, “I’ll do for you, kid!” - -“You won’t get a chance,” replied Joe simply. “I’d rather go home from -here, of course, but if you want to be silly I’ll give you as far as -Toledo to think it over.” - -“What would you do in Toledo?” sneered the other. - -“Have you arrested, of course. That’s the only thing I can do if you -don’t make good before. I might have done it here, but I thought -you’d prefer to keep out of trouble, and now”――he looked around the -waiting-room――“there isn’t a policeman in sight.” - -“Have me arrested!” jeered Young. “Try it, kid! Go ahead and try it! -Why, I never saw you before in my life! Tell that yarn to a cop and see -what will happen.” - -“All right, let’s go out on the platform. There’s one there, I guess.” - -Young’s eyes dropped, but after an instant’s hesitation he turned -toward the door again. “Sure! Come on and find him!” - -Joe kept close at his elbow and they passed through the door and into -the throng on the long platform. The west-bound train had pulled -into the station a few minutes before and outside all was bustle and -confusion. Young paused and looked up and down the platform. - -“There’s a cop down there,” he exclaimed. “Come on and we’ll finish -this up right now.” - -He pushed past Joe and made his way with difficulty in and out of the -crowd. Joe followed close on his heels. Above the sound of escaping -steam and the noise of the crowd he heard the cry of “All abo-o-oard!” -He was quite certain that Young had not seen a policeman in the -direction he was taking and was wondering whether the former meant -to make a sudden dash for liberty when he was once free of the throng -or, at the last instant, leap aboard the train. There was a sound of -releasing brakes, at the other end of the long train a bell clanged -warningly, and, an instant later, the cars began to move slowly past. -They were out of the crowd now and near the end of the train. Joe saw -Young turn his head a little in the direction of the moving train and -something warned him to be on his guard. Young swung around and faced -him. - -“I was sure I saw a cop down here,” he said puzzledly. “Where do you -suppose he got to? See him anywhere?” - -Perhaps Young expected Joe to look away for a moment, for he suddenly -shot out his right fist straight at the younger boy’s face. But Joe had -not moved his gaze a fraction from Young’s countenance and he read what -was coming before the arm was drawn back for the blow. Instinctively -he dodged to the right and Young’s fist went harmlessly past his head. -Then something took him in the knees――he surmised afterwards that it -was Young’s suit-case――and he went staggering back against the station -wall. - -When he recovered himself Young was darting across the platform, bag -swinging wildly, and even as he started in pursuit his quarry tossed -the suit-case onto the forward platform of the last car, trotted -alongside and, aided by the porter, who had been in the act of closing -the vestibule door, sprang aboard! - -A dozen strides told Joe that he could never reach that platform. The -train, gaining speed every instant, was now moving rapidly out of the -station and beside him the lighted windows of the last car slipped -past. There was but one thing to do and he determined to do it, or, at -least, make a try. Slackening his pace a little, he let the length of -the car go past him and then, spurting desperately, heedless of the -warning shouts of lookers-on, he managed to grasp the forward rail of -the last steps! - -The speed of the train lifted him from his feet and hurled him against -the rear railing. He made a clutch for this, but failed, and swung -outward again, dangling, his feet trailing along the planks of the -station platform. Cries of alarm arose from the watchers behind. But -Joe held on, searched with his left hand for a hold, knocked his knees -bruisingly against the car steps, got one on the lower ledge, and, -somehow, dragged himself to his feet, clinging at last to the brass -gate that closed the platform off and fighting for breath! - -For a full minute he clung there, dizzy, conscious of smarting -contusions about his knees and of a dull ache in one hip where he -had collided with the railing. Finally he climbed over the gate, -tried the door and found it unlocked and stepped inside a handsome -library-compartment in which a half-dozen men were seated about in the -cane easy-chairs reading. His appearance elicited no surprise. Perhaps -they thought he had been on the platform while the train was in the -station. At all events, although the occupants of the compartment -raised their eyes as the door opened, only one of the number displayed -any interest in the boy’s advent. - -The single exception was a tall, loose-jointed man, who, with his chair -turned toward the windows, sat with long legs doubled up almost to his -chin and a book face-down in his lap. As the door opened he turned -his head and looked attentively at the breathless and still somewhat -white-faced youth who entered. Joe paused to take another full breath -before undertaking the passage of the swaying car and in that moment -his eyes encountered those of the man. The man raised a long, lean hand -and beckoned with a finger. Joe made his way to him and the passenger, -undoubling himself, stretched a foot out, hooked it about the leg of -the next chair and pulled it beside his own. - -“Sit down,” he said. He had a remarkable voice, Joe thought, and -equally remarkable eyes, very light blue-gray in colour, that somehow -compelled obedience. Joe embarrassedly seated himself. - -“That’s a good way to get killed,” said the man calmly. “Don’t you know -that?” - -“I suppose it is, sir. I didn’t stop to think much about it.” - -“I wouldn’t make a practice of it. I take it that the other fellow got -aboard all right.” - -“The other fellow?” faltered Joe. - -“Yes, the――ah――the gentleman who tried to put his fist in your face.” - -“Oh! You saw――――” - -“I happened to be looking out the window. You side-stepped very neatly. -Fellow a friend of yours?” - -“Not exactly.” Joe smiled faintly. There was an answering twinkle in -the light blue eyes. - -“No? But you evidently couldn’t bear to part with him. It’s not my -business, but I’m curious to know the story. Fact is, I make my living -from stories. I get chaps like you to tell them to me and then I write -them down and sell them. It’s a very simple way to make a fortune.” - -Joe smiled uncertainly. It sounded as if the other was joking, but his -expression was quite serious. He had a lean, clean-shaven face, with -many deep wrinkles. His nose was long and straight and his mouth rather -large. Somehow, though, it was a nice face and inspired confidence. -“There isn’t much story,” said Joe hesitantly. “The――the other fellow -has something that belongs to me and I want to get it.” - -“Situation Number Three,” murmured the man. “Hackneyed, but capable of -interesting and even novel variations.” - -“Sir?” asked Joe. - -“May I ask what is the value of the something the other chap has of -yours? It’s interesting sometimes to know for what amount a person -will risk his life. Personally I wouldn’t do it for less than two -hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Not now, that is. There was a time, -when I was considerably younger, when I dare say I’d have done it for -considerably less; say for five thousand――or nothing at all. In your -case now――――” - -“It’s only about seventy-five dollars,” replied Joe. “He――he stole it.” - -The man nodded. “Naturally. Seventy-five dollars, though, seems an -inadequate reward for a broken neck. Any kind of a respectable funeral -would cost all of that. I don’t see that you stood to win much.” - -“I’m afraid I didn’t stop to think of all that, sir. He jumped on the -train and so I――I jumped on, too!” - -“I see. And now?” - -Joe hesitated. “I suppose I’ll have to get him arrested in Toledo if he -won’t give it up without.” - -“Why didn’t you call a policeman at that last place?” - -“I didn’t see one. Besides, I thought he’d give the money back without -any fuss when he saw that I had caught him.” - -“But he wouldn’t?” - -“No, sir.” - -“Perhaps he hasn’t got it with him. Perhaps he’s spent it.” - -“I don’t think so. You see――――” - -“But I don’t see,” said the man, with a smile. “I want to, though. -Starting at the beginning, now――――” He doubled his long legs up -again, clasped his hands around them and observed Joe expectantly -and encouragingly. Joe hesitated, smiled, and told his story. During -the recital the gray-blue eyes watched him intently and their owner -maintained absolute silence. There was but one interruption, and that -was when the conductor came in. Joe reached for his money, but the man -gently pushed his hand away from his pocket. - -“Pardon me,” he said gently, “but it’s my party.” He took out a very -stunning gold-trimmed pocket-book, pulled a five-dollar note from it -and handed it to the conductor. - -“Where to?” asked the latter. Joe’s new acquaintance questioned -silently. - -“Toledo, I guess,” said Joe. “Do we stop before we get there?” - -The conductor shook his head, made out the check, returned the change -and took his departure. - -“I’m much obliged,” said Joe, “but I didn’t mean for you to pay my -fare, sir.” - -“I know you didn’t. But as you’re my guest it was only right that I -should. So you guessed that that punch was coming, did you?” - -“Yes, sir, sort of. And then, when he swung around his bag struck me on -the knees and I went back against the wall.” - -“To be continued in our next,” murmured the other. He examined his -watch. “We’ll be in Toledo in about ten minutes, I think. So perhaps -you’d better go and see your friend. Afterwards come back here and tell -me what the result is. It would be too commonplace to bring the police -into this. So we’ll just put our heads together and find an artistic -dénoûement.” - -Joe hurried through the three Pullman cars and through an equal number -of day-coaches without finding Mr. Chester Young. But in the next, the -smoking car, the sight of that gentleman rewarded him as he closed the -door. Young was seated half-way along the car, smoking a cigarette and -figuring on the back of an envelope. Beside him, on the other half of -the seat, rested the suit-case. - -Joe walked quietly down the aisle. Young didn’t see him until he had -laid hand on the bag. Then, with an alarmed grasp at the suit-case, -Young raised his eyes. His jaw dropped ludicrously and the cigarette -in his mouth rolled to the floor, and while Joe set the suit-case -aside and seated himself Young continued to regard him in stupefied -amazement. - - - - -CHAPTER XXII - -THE AMATEUR DETECTIVE - - -“Well,” said Joe finally, “thought better of it, Young?” - -Young found his voice then and for at least two minutes gave vent to -his feelings, which, judging from the expressions he made use of, were -far from pleasant. When, at last, breath or fresh invectives failed -him, Joe said: “Young, you might as well be sensible about this. We’ll -be in Toledo in a few minutes and there’ll be an officer waiting for -us. What’s the good of going to jail for seventy-five dollars? Why -don’t you give me back what you stole and have an end of it?” - -Young, having regained his breath, indulged in a few more well-chosen -remarks derogatory to Joe’s character. After which he declared that -he knew nothing about the money, never saw it, didn’t have it, and -wouldn’t give it up if he had! - -“Well,” said Joe impatiently, “you’ve had plenty of chances to give it -back without fuss, Young. So don’t blame me for anything that happens -after this.” He got up and went off down the aisle, leaving Mr. Chester -Young scowling somewhat anxiously after him. In the library compartment -Joe reported the result of his mission. - -“I guess,” he said regretfully, “there’s nothing to do now but try to -get him arrested.” - -“Are you certain he means to get off at Toledo?” asked the man. - -“N-no, I’m not. He bought a ticket for Toledo, though.” - -“Hm. Well, we’d better be ready in case he does. I’ll go and get my -things ready.” - -“Are you getting off there?” asked Joe as the other pulled his six feet -and four or five inches from the chair. - -“Do you know,” replied the man, “I’m never certain when I start out -where I’ll fetch up? It’s queer that way.” He stretched his long arms -and smiled whimsically down at the boy. “Once I started off for Chicago -and brought up in Buenos Aires. After all, it’s the uncertainty that -makes life interesting, eh?” - -The stranger proceeded to the second car ahead, changed the cap he -was wearing for a derby, strapped up a battered kit-bag, took his -overcoat from the hook, and went forward again. Near the rear door of -the smoking car was an unoccupied seat, and in this the two seated -themselves. Joe pointed out the refractory Mr. Young to his companion, -who examined what was to be seen of his back with a disappointed -expression. - -“Very weak,” he muttered. “Hardly worthy of our talents, my friend. -Observe the narrowness of the head between the ears. A sure sign of -weakness of character. I have it myself. I think we can safely assume -that he is not going to leave us here. If he were he’d be stirring -around.” - -The train was running into the yard at Toledo now and many of the -occupants of the car were donning coats and rounding up their luggage. -The prediction proved correct. The train rolled into the station, but -Mr. Chester Young kept his place. That he was nervous was evident from -the manner in which he peered through the window and more than once -looked anxiously back along the car. He did not, however, see Joe, -since the latter was hidden by his companion. The train remained in -the station for some five minutes before it started off again towards -Detroit, and during that time, it is natural to suppose, Mr. Chester -Young was by no means enjoying himself. It seemed to Joe that he could -almost hear Young’s sigh of relief when the station lights slipped away -from them again! - -Presently Joe’s companion, who had been silent most of the time during -the stop, arose and signalled the former to follow him. Down the aisle -they went. The seat directly in front of Young had just been vacated, -and the tall man turned the back over, set his bag down, and seated -himself facing Young, draping his overcoat across his knees and patting -the seat beside him invitingly as Joe hesitated. - -“Sit down,” he said pleasantly. “That’s it. Now, then, here we are all -together.” He turned to the astonished Mr. Chester Young and regarded -him smilingly. “I guess,” he went on, “we can settle this all up nicely -before we reach Detroit, eh? We’ve got a lot of time ahead of us and -needn’t hurry.” - -“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” sputtered Young, darting a -venomous look at Joe. “You haven’t anything on me.” - -“Now, now!” The intruder lifted a lean hand deprecatingly. “Don’t let -us start off that way, my friend. Let’s be good-natured and just talk -things over a bit. Why, bless you, I’m not complaining a mite, am I? -When the chief called me up and said, ‘Beat it to the station and -find a fellow named Young,’ I was just getting ready for a nice, long -snooze. I was up most of last night and was counting a lot on my sleep. -Well, it’s all in the day’s work with us Central Office tecs, and I’m a -natural-born philosopher. So here I am, and no hard feelings.” - -The expression on Young’s face changed from angry defiance to alarm. -He swallowed once with difficulty, almost losing his cigarette in the -operation, and then his gaze darted quickly about as though seeking an -avenue of escape. The man opposite leaned over and patted his knee. - -“Don’t think of that,” he said soothingly. “You couldn’t get away if -you tried. Besides, you’d break your neck if you slipped off with the -train going forty miles. Don’t try any foolish business, my friend. -Just keep calm and good-tempered and let’s talk it all over nicely.” - -“I haven’t got anything to talk over,” muttered Young. - -“Sure you have!” The man chuckled. “You’ve got seventy-five dollars! We -can do a lot of talking about seventy-five dollars, eh? Come on now, -cards on the table, Young. What’s your idea of it?” - -“Idea of what?” Young was rather pale, but he managed to put some -assurance into his question. The man lighted a cigar with much -deliberation. - -“Why, I mean what are you thinking of doing? Now, here’s my advice -to you. You don’t need to take it, you know. I shan’t mind if you -don’t. If I were you I’d get together what you’ve got left of that -seventy-five and hand it over. See? Then we’d just wish each other -luck and I’d drop off at the first stop and report ‘nothing doing’ at -the office. That would be the simplest thing. But you can come on back -to Toledo if you want to and face the music. Only that makes a lot of -trouble for you and me and this fellow here. You spend the night in a -cell, I don’t get to sleep before one o’clock, and this fellow has to -lie around until your case comes up in the morning. Still, I don’t want -to persuade you against your own judgment. It’s all in the day’s work -for me.” He leaned back and smiled pleasantly at Young. - -“You’ve only got his say-so for it,” exclaimed Young desperately. “Why, -I never saw him until he came up to me in the station at Fremont! I -don’t know anything about him. It――it’s a frame-up, that’s what it -is! If you arrest me you’ll get into trouble. I――I’ve got friends in -Toledo, and they’ll make it hot for you, all right!” - -“Sure, I know. We get that line of talk all the time,” was the -untroubled response. “You know your own business better than I do. If -you didn’t take this fellow’s money, why, all right.” - -“Of course I didn’t! Why, look here, I’ll show you!” Young pulled a -purse from his pocket and eagerly spread its contents out. “That’s -every cent I’ve got to my name! Seventy-five dollars! Gee, if I had -seventy-five dollars I’d be back there in a Pullman, believe me!” - -“That’s so. Still, you might have spent the difference. How much you -got there?” - -“Nineteen, about! I had twenty-five when I――when I was in Fremont, and -this fellow”――he darted a triumphant look at Joe――“braced me for a -dollar to get something to eat. Then, when he saw I had more, he began -some wild yarn about my stealing money from him. Why, I guess he’s -crazy!” - -The tall man turned and looked attentively at Joe. “Is that right?” he -asked. “Did you get a dollar from him at Fremont?” - -Joe shook his head, not trusting himself to speak for fear he would -laugh. The supposed detective sighed. - -“Well, I don’t know! Of course, if they find only nineteen dollars on -you when they frisk you at the station――――” - -“Frisk me?” faltered Young. - -“Sure; search you; go through your clothes. And your bag.” - -Young shot a troubled look at the suit-case beside him. “No one’s got -any right to search me,” he muttered. “And――and you can’t arrest me, -either, without a warrant!” - -“Bless your heart, friend, if we waited for warrants we’d miss half the -fun! Here comes the conductor. Better not buy beyond Monroe. We’ll get -off there and beat it back.” - -“Why don’t you believe what I’m telling you?” demanded Young anxiously. -“I never saw this fellow or his money. Say, you aren’t really going to -take me just on what he says, are you?” - -“Orders are orders, friend, and I got mine,” was the reply. “But don’t -you bother. If you didn’t get his money you’ll get off all right -tomorrow morning. And we’ve got a good, comfortable jail in Toledo, -too.” - -“That’s all right,” faltered Young, his gaze on the approaching -conductor, “but――but if he tells them a pack of lies, how do I know -they won’t believe him instead of me? You do yourself!” - -“Me? Pshaw, now, I don’t believe anyone. This fellow says you did -and you say you didn’t. It doesn’t make a scrap of difference to me, -anyway. It’s up to the judge in the morning.” - -“Well, but――say――――” Young leaned across confidentially, lowering his -voice. “Now, look here, sir. I don’t want to have to go back to Toledo. -I’m in a hurry. I’ve got a sick father in Detroit, I have. Now, say I -give this fellow what I’ve got with me? Eh? I’d pay that not to have to -go back. What do you say?” - -“Well, that’s up to him,” was the reply, “What do you say?” The man -turned inquiringly to Joe. - -“If he will give me all the money he has with him, all right,” Joe -answered. “I’ll be satisfied. I dare say he’s spent a good bit of it.” - -“But I’ve got to keep enough to pay my fare to Detroit,” said Young -eagerly. - -Joe nodded. “All right. Pay your fare to Detroit and give me the rest.” - -“Well, that’s what I call sensible,” said the impromptu detective. -“What’s the use of going to a heap of trouble when you can avoid it, -eh? Hello, Conductor. One to Detroit and”――he looked a question at Joe. - -“I guess I’ll go to Detroit, too,” was the response. - -“Two Detroits, eh? All right, gentlemen. Thank you. Let me see, -you’re――――” He observed the tall man doubtfully. - -“Yes, you know me,” was the response, accompanied by a nod toward the -rear of the train. - -“I thought so.” The conductor returned the change to Young and to Joe -and passed on. Young, his purse still in his hand, counted out the -remaining contents of it. - -“There’s nearly eighteen dollars,” he said easily. “You might leave me -enough for car-fare to get to my house with, but I won’t ask it.” - -“Keep out the silver,” said Joe, “and give me the bills.” - -Young obeyed and passed over a ten, a five, and two ones. “You’re -witness that I paid this to him,” he challenged the third member of the -group. The tall man nodded. - -“I’m witness you’ve paid him seventeen dollars,” he agreed. “Go ahead.” - -“Go ahead? What do you mean, go ahead?” asked Young with a scowl. - -“Why, I mean go ahead and pay him the rest of it.” - -“The rest of it! He agreed to take what I had here――――” - -“What you had with you, my friend,” interrupted the other. “Be good now -and don’t let’s have any more trouble.” He reached across and pushed -Young’s suit-case toward him. “Open her up, friend, and dig down!” - -“I tell you I ain’t got――――” - -“I heard you, too,” was the wearied response. “But we’ll take the money -that’s in the suit-case, I think. Come across with it, Young!” - -“You’re a couple of thieves! There ain’t any money in there! I――――” - -“Seeing’s believing, my friend. Just open that up and show us.” - -“I won’t! You’ve got all you’re going to get!” He took the suit-case on -his knees and hugged his arms over it. “What’s in here is mine!” - -“Oh, so there is some in there, eh?” The tall man chuckled. “Well, pass -it over. Stand by your bargain and don’t play baby. And get a move on, -too. We’ll be in Monroe in about ten minutes and then it’ll be too -late.” - -Young glared at the other in impotent rage, but the make-believe Central -Office man returned his gaze calmly, untroubledly, compellingly. For a -long moment Young hesitated. Then, with a shrug of his shoulders, he -tugged at the straps, opened the suit-case and drew a cigarette box from -under the layers of clothing. - -“There,” he growled, and tossed the box into the man’s lap. Inside it -were five folded ten-dollar bills. The man smoothed them out, counted -them and passed them silently to Joe. - -“Fifty and seventeen is sixty-seven,” he said. “That good enough?” he -asked. - -Joe nodded as he stowed the money safely in a pocket. “That’s near -enough,” he said. “I ought to make him pay back what it’s cost me to -get it, but I won’t.” He turned to Young. “I’m going to hand nine and a -half of this to Mrs. Bennett,” he said. “She needs it more than I do, I -guess.” - -Young sneered. “What do I care what you do with it? You’re easy, -anyway. If I hadn’t been a fool I’d have got clean away.” Then, fearing -perhaps that he had admitted too much, he glanced furtively at the man. -“We’re quits now, ain’t we?” - -“Oh, yes, we’re quits. Or, rather, we’re more than quits, Young. I’m -really in your debt for an interesting experience. It’s the first time -I ever impersonated a detective and, although I may be taking too much -credit, I think I did it rather well, eh?” - -“_What!_” squealed Young. “You ain’t a――a――――” - -[Illustration: “_What!_” squealed Young. “You ain’t a――a――――”] - -“My friend,” was the smiling reply, “I’m only a poor writer of tales -who has been doing his best to relieve the tedium of a dull journey. -The next time you have dealings with a detective, and something tells -me there’s going to be a next time, you ask to be shown his badge. -Never take anything for granted, my friend. It’s a wicked world and -there are, unfortunately, folks in it ever ready to impose on the -credulity of the young and――ah――innocent. Good-night, Mr. Young. And -thanks for the amusement you’ve so kindly afforded.” - -They left him crumpled up in the corner, still holding his open -suit-case, an expression of mingled wrath and incredulity on his face. - -Joe’s new friend led the way back to his chair in the Pullman, where -he deposited bag and coat and again changed from derby to cap. Then -they returned to the library car and viewed each other smilingly from -opposite chairs. - -“I was right about the narrowness of the skull between the ears,” -observed the man reflectively. “Mr. Young is weak, lamentably weak, and -will not, I feel sure, ever make a success in his chosen profession.” - -“His chosen profession?” repeated Joe questioningly. - -“Yes, thieving. Perhaps it’s all for the best, however. Finding himself -unable to prosper in that line, he may turn honest. Let us hope so. And -now there’s one small formality we’ve neglected. Suppose we learn each -other’s names?” - -“Mine is Joseph Faulkner, sir.” - -“And mine is Graham――J. W. Graham. The J stands for John and the W for -Westley.” - -“Westley Graham!” exclaimed Joe. “Why, I know who you are! I mean I’ve -read stories――――” - -“Yes, I don’t doubt it. You could scarcely fail to, my boy, for I -write a horrible lot of them. I try not to, but they will out, like -murder――or measles! Ever read any you liked?” - -“Why, I like them all!” cried Joe. “They’re dandy! There was one last -month about a man who discovered an island that nobody knew about, -and――――” - -“Yes, I recall that. Well, I’m glad you like them, my boy. I do myself, -when I’m writing them, but afterwards I try hard to forget them.” - -“But why, sir?” Joe’s eyes opened very wide. “I wish I could write -stories like those!” - -“Do you? I try to forget them because I come of Puritan ancestry. Know -anything about the Puritans, Faulkner?” - -“Why, I know what it tells in the history, sir.” - -“Perhaps history doesn’t particularly emphasise the quality I have in -mind, however. The Puritans were endowed with the ineradicable belief -that whatever gave one pleasure in the doing was wrong. All my life -I have been at odds with my inherited Puritan principles. Every time -I write one of those stories Conscience sits at my elbow and weeps. -I try to console myself with the promise that some day before I pass -on I shall write something very dull and very learned and very, very -difficult, something that I shall utterly detest doing. But never mind -my soul worries now. Tell me something about you, Faulkner. What do -you do when you don’t chase over the country apprehending defaulting -clerks? You told me you were going to school, I think?” - -So Joe talked then and, prompted by questions, told more about himself -than he ever remembered confessing to anyone. But Mr. Graham had a -way of making one talk that Joe couldn’t resist. In the midst of his -narrative the conductor bore down on them again and Mr. Graham, despite -Joe’s protest, paid for the latter’s seat in the Pullman to Detroit. -And, later, although it scarcely seemed a half-hour since they had -parted from the overwhelmed Mr. Chester Young in the smoking car, they -rolled into Detroit and it was after midnight! - -“When I come to this town,” said Mr. Graham as they waited in the -vestibule for the train to stop, “I always put up at a small hotel on -Grand River Avenue. It isn’t sumptuous, but it’s neat and quiet and -they allow me to sleep late. Now, I propose that we walk leisurely up -there, in order to stretch our legs, and that you become my guest for -the night. In the morning we’ll have some breakfast together and then -I’ll see you on your way back.” - -“But I don’t think,” stammered Joe. “I mean I oughtn’t to let you do so -much for me, Mr. Graham! I’ve got enough money to pay――――” - -“The money you have, Faulkner, belongs, as I understand it, to the firm -of Faulkner and――well, whatever the other chap’s name is. And if you -dissipate it in riotous living you’ll be a defaulter yourself. No, I -think――Look, isn’t that our friend Mr. Young there? It is. I wonder, -now, what he’s going to do in this town without money. Excuse me a -minute.” - -Mr. Graham left Joe at the car steps and dived hurriedly through the -crowd about the train. Joe followed his course easily enough, since -he was a head taller than most persons there, and so was witness to -the little scene enacted on the platform beyond the crowd. Mr. Graham -overtook Young there and for a moment they talked. Then the former put -his hand in his pocket, drew forth his purse and passed some money to -the other. After that, a hand on Young’s shoulder, Mr. Graham talked a -moment longer. When he returned to Joe he picked up his bag and led the -way out to Fort Street. - -“I’m wondering,” he said as they stepped out briskly in search of the -hotel where one could sleep late in the morning, “how much a promise is -worth, Faulkner.” - -“How much did you pay for it, sir?” asked Joe. - -Mr. Graham laughed softly. “So you spied on me, eh? Well, it didn’t -cost me much, Faulkner, but at that I’m afraid I overpaid. Here we are. -Four blocks up Second Street and we’re almost there. I’m beginning to -be a little bit sleepy. How about you?” - -“I’m dead tired, sir.” - -“Are you? Well, you can sleep as late as you like in the morning!” - - - - -CHAPTER XXIII - -“BATTER UP!” - - -Joe returned to Amesville at a little before three on Sunday afternoon. -He had meant to get back much earlier, but several things had -prevented. In the first place, he had unintentionally taken advantage -of the privilege of late slumber afforded by the quiet hotel and had -not awakened until after eight o’clock, a most unusual proceeding -for Joe! But, late as he had been, he had dressed and was reading a -morning newspaper before Mr. Graham appeared. Breakfast was a leisurely -ceremony and a surprisingly pleasant one. Joe had never seen anyone -pay so much attention to the ordering of a meal as the writer did, and -when it came it was quite unlike any breakfast Joe had ever partaken -of. Strawberries were served with the stems on, a half-dozen big, -luscious ones arranged in a circle about a pyramid of powdered sugar. -Joe waited, at a loss as to how to proceed, until Mr. Graham had shown -the way by lifting a berry by its stem, dipping it in the sugar and -transferring it to his mouth. His host, without appearing to observe -Joe’s hesitation, explained that strawberries eaten in that way were -far easier to digest than when accompanied by cream. Then had arrived, -after finger-bowls, two half chickens, broiled and laid on toast, -Julienne potatoes――only Joe called them “shoestring”――tiny crisp, -crescent-shaped rolls, orange marmalade, coffee――this, too, without -cream, fashioned on the table in some bewildering way with boiled milk -and a tiny pat of sweet butter!――and, last but by no means least, -golden-brown griddle-cakes served with honey. - -That had been a wonderful breakfast, indeed, and Joe had eaten until -he felt ashamed of himself, but without, since they spent all of an -hour at the table with the June sunshine lying across the white napery -and glistening on the silver, any after discomfort. Later, when Joe -had spoken of a ten o’clock train, Mr. Graham vetoed the plan at once, -lightly but firmly, and they had taken a long walk, during which the -writer, who seemed to know everything in the city worth seeing and the -shortest way to reach it, had made Joe work his shorter legs to the -utmost to keep up with his companion’s giant strides! - -At the station Mr. Graham had gone to the news-stand and doubtless -vastly surprised the attendant by selecting four books from the pen of -Westley Graham. From there they went to the ledge outside the ticket -office and Mr. Graham wrote Joe’s name and his own on the fly-leaf of -each and then piled them into the boy’s arms. After that, in spite of -Joe’s earnest protests, he had bought the latter’s ticket and parlour -car seat. - -“You can get some lunch at Toledo,” said Mr. Graham. “You’ll have -twenty minutes there.” - -“I shan’t ever want to eat again,” replied Joe with a wistful -recollection of that breakfast. - -The other laughed. “Oh, yes, you will. You’ll be hungry by the time you -reach Toledo. If you’re not, you’re no real boy.” At the parlour car -steps Mr. Graham shook hands warmly. “Good-bye, Faulkner,” he said. -“We’ve had rather a jolly little party, haven’t we? I’ve enjoyed it, -anyhow. Good luck to you, my boy. You’ll find an address in one of -those books that usually gets me. Drop me a line some day and tell me -how you’re getting on. Let me know who wins that game on Wednesday. I’d -like to see that.” - -“I don’t suppose you ever get to Amesville?” asked Joe anxiously. - -“Amesville?” Mr. Graham smiled. “I get everywhere sooner or later, -Faulkner. Whether I do or don’t, we’ll run across each other again some -day. That’s my experience. It’s a wee bit of a world, after all, and a -mighty nice thing about it is that friends are always meeting.” - -Joe had opened one of the books as soon as he had had his last glimpse -of Mr. Graham on the station platform, and, in spite of the latter’s -prediction, had not lunched at Toledo. Instead, he sat on a baggage -truck and pursued the adventures of the hero of the tale with a -breathless interest that almost lost him his train to Amesville! - -His first act when he got home was to seek Mr. Chase, the station -agent. But that gentleman was not on duty and so Joe enclosed the -borrowed money in an envelope, scribbled a note that recounted the -success of his expedition and thanked Mr. Chase for his assistance, and -left it at the office. - -It was a worried and anxious Aunt Sarah who met him at the door, and -Joe’s first half-hour at home was devoted to a full and complete -history of the past twenty-four hours, during which he was made to -drink two cups of tea and eat three slices of currant cake. Then he -called up the Strobes’ house, found that Jack had been asking for him -and was at last able to see him, and forthwith hurried to the meeting. -Jack was swathed in a dressing-robe and flanked by medicines and an -atomiser when Joe found him, but he looked pretty healthy and declared -that he felt fine today and was to go out tomorrow unless the pesky -doctor changed his mind in the morning. - -“I was frightened to death I wouldn’t be able to play Wednesday,” he -said; “but I can. Say, did Frank play Saturday?” - -“Yes, he did, Jack, for a couple of innings; no, three.” - -Jack groaned. “It’s all up, then! Bat will put him in Wednesday just -out of kindness. Isn’t that rotten luck? Who invented quinsy, anyway?” - -“Edison, I suppose.” - -“Oh, it’s all well enough for you to grin, but I lose that wager and -Handsome Frank will be more conceited than ever! And I won’t get that -bat-case――――” - -“I’ll buy that for you if you’ll shut up about it,” declared Joe -desperately. - -“I don’t want you to. I can buy it myself, for that matter. It――it’s -beating Frank that matters.” - -“And only the other day you were saying that you were sorry for him!” - -“Well, I’m not today,” said Jack grimly. “Say, where were you all the -morning? I thought surely you’d come around or call up.” - -“Most of the morning I was in Detroit,” answered Joe soberly. - -“In Detroit! What do you mean, Detroit?” - -“Detroit, Michigan. There isn’t any other, is there?” - -“You mean you’ve been to Detroit today?” asked Jack incredulously. Joe -shook his head. - -“I came from there today. I went last night.” - -Jack stared unbelievingly. “What for? What’s the joke?” - -“For seventy-five dollars,” replied Joe, smilingly. “And I got it, or -most of it.” - -“Say, are you batty?” demanded Jack impatiently. “What seventy-five -dollars? What’s the big idea?” - -So Joe told his story once more, while Jack’s eyes got bigger and -rounder and he hurled questions at the narrator breathlessly. And when -he had heard all about it and had had every last detail explained to -his satisfaction he deliberately kicked over a chair. - -“Wouldn’t that make you sick?” he exclaimed. “I have to go and get -quinsy and lose all that fun! Of course Young couldn’t have sneaked off -when I was well! Oh, dear, no! It had to be when I was laid up! Hang -the luck, anyway! Say, if I’d been along, Joey, I’d have punched his -head!” - -“Just as well you weren’t, then,” laughed Joe. “As it was, everything -went off quietly and strictly according to the rules-book.” - -“Well, what do you know about it!” marvelled Jack. “Joey, when they -named you ‘Lucky’ Faulkner they hit it just about right! Why, you -didn’t have one chance in ten thousand to get that money back!” - -“I guess that’s so. Come to think of it, Jack, I didn’t get it back. It -was Mr. Graham did it.” - -“Never mind who did it, you brought it home. Now what are we going to -do for someone to look after the stand?” - -“I’ve been thinking that the best thing would be to put the tin box -back for a few days. School closes Thursday, and after that we can look -after it ourselves.” - -“All right. I dare say four days won’t lose us much. I wonder, though, -how we’re going to like sticking around that lobby when the hot weather -comes. That won’t be so pleasant, eh?” - -“I don’t believe the Adams Building will be hotter than any other -place,” replied Joe. “Anyway, if we’re going to earn money we’ve got -to work for it and put up with some things. I’ve got to be going now, -Jack.” - -“What’s your hurry? I haven’t seen you for an age!” - -“I’ll drop around after supper if you can see folks then. But I want to -go and give this nine-fifty to Mrs. Bennett. I guess she needs it worse -than we do.” - -Jack was back in school Monday morning, a bit weak in the legs, but -otherwise as good as ever, or so he declared. He had two days of -examinations to make up and, since he would not have been of much use -to the team anyway, he stayed away from practice that afternoon and -toiled over his papers in a deserted class-room under the eagle eye of -one of the teachers. - -On Tuesday there was only an hour of light work for the players. The -Second Team ended its season with a game with the grammar school, which -it won in a breath-taking tenth inning rally, and the diamond was given -over to the workmen who were to put it in shape for the morrow’s battle. - -Petersburg descended on Amesville the next day at noon and went to -lunch at the principal hotel. She arrived nearly a hundred strong and -armed with a multitude of gay banners, which she waved jubilantly as, -luncheon over, the team and its followers took trolley cars to the -field. - -Petersburg had gone through a more than usually successful season, -playing nineteen games, of which she had won twelve and tied one. In -Calvert she had a pitcher of known ability who had last year proved a -good deal of a riddle to Amesville’s batters, and her second-choice -twirler, Gorman, had been coming fast during the last month and had -only a week ago held Minton School to one hit. For the rest, Petersburg -had an average team, with a fast, snappy infield and an outfield -composed of two veterans and one newcomer. Petersburg had not gained -the reputation of a hard-hitting outfit this year, but an analysis of -the scores of past conflicts would have shown that she had usually -secured hits when they were most needed. - -Amesville, however, went into the game that afternoon with more -confidence than usual. There had been seasons when she had had a strong -pitching staff and a poor fielding team, seasons when she had been -brilliant at fielding and weak at batting, and seasons when she could -bat anything and had no talent in the box. But this year it was felt -that the Brown-and-Blue was an evenly rounded nine with good pitchers, -clever fielders, and the ability to bat, and most of the local rooters -who filled the two stands behind first base and flowed over on to the -field held that it was less a question of which team would win than -what the score would be! - -Petersburg had nearly an hour of practice before Amesville trotted out -to claim the diamond, and by that time the audience had assembled and -the stage was set. The umpire had been imported from Lima, and, since -he had presumably never heard of either Amesville or Petersburg High -School in his life, was credited with being about as impartial as an -umpire could be. He was a small, rotund, business-like-looking chap who -wore the regulation blue flannels and had a voice like a mild-mannered -bull. - -Amesville’s batting order was as follows: Smith, s.; Morris, cf.; -Strobe, lf.; Hale, 3b.; Peddie, 2b.; Faulkner, 1b.; Cummings, rf.; -Craig, c.; Pollock, p. Toby Williams hoped to get into the game before -the curtain fell on the afternoon’s performance, and probably Carl -Moran entertained a similar hope, but it was pretty certain that Tom -would remain on the mound as long as the opponent showed its teeth. -On the bench, when the Amesville players trotted out for the opening -inning, remained Williams, Moran, Foley, Loomis, Speyer, Johnson, a -capable hitter from the disbanded Scrubs, and Buster Healey. Buster was -not in playing togs, however, and he viewed the world from behind a -pair of horn spectacles with thick lenses that gave him the appearance -of a wise owl. Manager Mifflin was there, too, with his battered -score-book spread open on his knees, and so was Coach Talbot, in -low-voiced conversation with Mr. John Hall, a privileged well-wisher of -the team. - -At half-past two to the second Mr. Reardon, the imported umpire, -faced the stands in “big-league” fashion and announced the batteries -in a voice that carried easily to the outfield fence: “Batthery for -Amesville, Pollock and Craig! For Petthersburg, Calvert and Beale. -_Batther up!_” - - - - -CHAPTER XXIV - -BUNCHED HITS - - -“First man, Tom!” - -Sam Craig pulled his mask down, looked over the field and then knelt -behind the plate. Tom, his arms at his sides, watched, nodded, himself -turned and viewed the fielders, and pulled his cap down a bit further -over his eyes. - -“Come on, Tom! Let’s have him!” called Gordon Smith. - -“Here we go!” cried Hale. - -Tom’s hands came up to his chest, his foot went forward, cunning -fingers wrapped themselves around the clean, new ball. At the plate -Wiley, third baseman, squared himself and tentatively swung his bat. -Behind him Captain Craig placed his feet apart and with slightly bent -knees and out-thrust hands waited. Behind the third base line the -visitors were still cheering and two noisy youths were encouraging the -batsman from the coachers’ boxes. Tom’s arms went back above his head, -his body lurched forward, his right hand shot out and a white streak -sped away for the plate. A yellowish flash as the bat swept the air, -the thud of ball against leather mitt, and the stentorian voice of the -umpire: - -“Shtrike!” - -Amesville cheered, while a chorus of approval arose from the fielders, -and Sam, thumping the ball into the deep hollow of his big mitten, -cried to Tom: “That’s the stuff, Tom! Keep after him!” - -On first, or, to be exact, well off of first and behind the base-path, -Joe added his encouragement to the rest and, a bit nervously, perhaps, -hitched at his trousers, which didn’t need a particle of attention. -Again the wind-up, leisurely and carefully made, and again the sphere -flew toward the plate. It was a ball this time, and the batsman judged -it correctly and let it severely alone. The cheers from the stands had -died away now. A few latecomers were searching for points of vantage -well back of the foul lines. The hot June sunlight fell radiantly on -the backs of spectators and straw hats had already begun to wave in -front of flushed faces. A second ball followed and then a drop that -fooled the Petersburg third baseman brought the second strike. - -“Two and two!” called Sam cheerfully. “Let’s have him, Tom!” - -Joe, on his toes, waited. The ball shot forward again, the bat met -it, Joe leaped to the base as Hale, coming in on the run, scooped up -the trickling sphere and jerked it across the diamond. Squarely into -Joe’s glove it thumped, his left foot touched the bag, and the runner, -puffing hard, swerved aside. - -“One gone!” called Joe. “Let’s have the next one, Tom!” - -“One!” echoed Sam, pointing a dramatic fore-finger aloft. - -The next batsman, however, was not to be disposed of in any such -manner. He picked out Tom’s second offering and sent it speeding -between Smith and Peddie and raced across the first bag without -challenge. The coachers redoubled their vocal energy. Twice Tom threw -to Joe and twice the runner threw himself back to safety. Then Tom -gave his attention to the Petersburg shortstop. With a strike and two -balls on that youth, Tom tried to sneak one across in the groove. The -shortstop was ready for it and the ball went screeching into right -field. Cummings came in hard and got it on the bound, throwing to -second. The first runner was on third by that time and Petersburg was -yelling madly on stands and bench and coaching lines. - -The runner on first stole on the first ball, and Sam, faking a throw -to second, slammed the ball to Tom. But the man on third held his -place. With only one gone there was no use taking any chances. The -Petersburg left fielder got himself into a hole at once, swinging twice -at deceptive offerings. Then Tom wasted a couple and, finally, cut the -outer corner of the plate and the batsman withdrew with trailing bat. -But the trouble was not over yet, for the next man, the Petersburg left -fielder, was more canny. He disdained the first two deliveries and the -umpire called them both balls. Tom tried to fool him on an inshoot and -again missed it. With three balls against him, Tom decided to pass the -batsman and so threw wide and the bases were filled. A hit meant two -runs, and the hit was forthcoming a moment later when the Petersburg -captain, Lyman, picked out something to his liking and raised it far -and high into centre field. Morris and Cummings both went after it, -but it was Sid’s ball and Sid should have had it. But when it dropped -it failed to find its way into his hands, and amidst consternation and -gloom in the Amesville ranks, two tallies crossed the platter! - -There was a pathetic hunch to Sid’s shoulders as he turned and went -back to his position. Then Smith’s cheerful “Never mind that, Sid! -Here’s another!” went back to him and he waved a hand answeringly. They -were certainly finding Tom Pollock, Joe reflected ruefully, and glanced -toward the bench to see if Toby was pulling off his coat. But there was -no sign of anxiety there. After all, Joe added consolingly, it was only -the first inning. Then he stopped thinking about it and sprinted across -the line to pull down a high foul and make the second out. Then came -the Petersburg catcher, a sturdy chap with a knowing manner. But Tom -was taking no chances and presently Beale walked to first, filling the -bases for the second time, while Petersburg hissed. - -“What’s wrong with Pollock?” asked Beale as he put a foot beside Joe’s -on the bag. - -“He’ll settle down in a minute,” answered Joe. “You chaps want to make -the most of this inning.” - -“That’s what we’re doing,” replied Beale with a laugh. - -The Petersburg pitcher started toward the plate, but was called back, -and a tall youth took his place. He was Middleton, a substitute -fielder, Beale explained as he danced away to a lead. But for once a -pinch-hitter remained true to precedent. Tom tried him on a low ball, -put a wide one across and then offered one of his famous “knuckle -balls.” That did the business effectively, for Middleton struck at it -and Sam pulled it down three feet behind the plate. Amesville cheered -encouragingly as their team flocked to the bench, and cheered again -when Gordon Smith stepped to the plate. Gordon studied two deliveries -from Calvert and heard one called a ball and the other a strike. Then -he fouled off two, and, with the score two and one, landed against the -next offering. But it went straight to shortstop and Gordon was an easy -out. Sid Morris had no better luck, for his attempt at a hit was pulled -down by centre fielder. Jack hit safely to left. Hale tried hard to get -one out of the diamond, but failed, and Jack made the third out, short -to second baseman. - -Tom found himself in the second inning and only four batsmen faced -him, the third man up getting to first on a weak hit to Hale that -jumped so erratically that it couldn’t be handled in time. Returning -the compliment, Calvert also disposed of the enemy in three chapters, -George Peddie striking out, Joe getting his base on balls, and Cummings -and Craig fanning. - -In the next inning Petersburg got a runner to third, but had to leave -him there when, with two down, Cummings gathered in an easy fly that -just escaped going foul. Tom Pollock opened things up in Amesville’s -half with a smashing drive into deep right that proved good for two -bases and Amesville waved her banners and shouted wildly in acclaim. -For awhile, however, it seemed that Tom would get no further, for -Smith’s best was a fly to second baseman and Sidney Morris, after -fouling off a half-dozen, struck out. It was Jack who was destined to -bring in the first tally. With two strikes against him he slammed a -sizzling hit down the first base line, scoring Tom and taking second -himself. That unsettled Calvert for the moment and Hale bunted toward -third and barely beat out the throw. By this time Amesville clamoured -triumphantly and Sam, at first, and Smith, behind third, added strident -voices to the bedlam. With Jack on third, Hale’s steal of second went -unchallenged, Peddie swinging harmlessly. Calvert followed that strike -with two bad ones, one of which nearly got past the catcher, and then -made the mistake of offering a fast out-shoot. Peddie was fond of those -and he liked the present one especially and sent it arching into short -right field. The fielder scuttled in for it and Captain Lyman, at first -base, ran back. But the ball fell harmlessly to earth between them, by -which time Jack had scored, Peddie was on first, and Hale was sprinting -for the plate. Unfortunately, Hale had pulled up momentarily at third, -in spite of Gordon Smith’s urging, and Captain Lyman’s quick, straight -throw to the catcher killed him off at the rubber. - -But the score was 2 to 2, and Amesville settled back with sighs of -satisfaction. Five hits for a total of seven bases was not bad in -three innings, they argued, and a continuation of such work should win -without trouble. But a continuation proved more than the Brown-and-Blue -was capable of. Petersburg went down one, two, three in the fourth -inning, but so did Amesville, and in the fifth and sixth she did little -better so far as results were concerned. Calvert, after that first -wobble, settled down to a fine, steady pace. In the fifth Sid Morris -got to first on a pass and in the next inning Joe made his first hit -of the game when two were down. But, although Cummings was passed, Sam -Craig struck out. - -In the meanwhile Petersburg made the most in the fifth inning of a -pass, a hit, and an error. Tom presented the first batsman with his -base, thereby paving the way for trouble. The left fielder, who had -already tasted blood in the third, got a safe hit past Smith and first -and second bases were occupied with no one out. Captain Lyman’s drive -got away from Tom Pollock’s glove and when he had recovered it the -bags were all filled. The next man proved an easy out, retiring after -four pitched balls, but Catcher Beale came through with a two-bagger -to right that brought two more tallies across. Tom struck out the next -pair. - -With the score 4 to 2, Amesville, as has been said, failed to help -herself to anything in that inning or the sixth. Calvert was pitching -his best, and Calvert at his best was a hard nut to crack. Petersburg -retired in order in the sixth and seventh, Tom adding two more -strike-outs to his growing list. - -When Tom Pollock went to the bat in the last of the seventh Amesville -arose and demanded runs. “Here we go! It’s the lucky seventh! All up, -High School! Here’s where we tie them!” - -The cheer leaders waved their megaphones and brought forth lusty -encouragement, while Petersburg, fewer in numbers, but possessed of -willing lungs, hurled back defiance from across the sunlit field. Joe, -squeezed in between Jack and Steve Hale on the home bench, listened -silently to the discussion. Coach Talbot was talking to Gordon Smith, -next up, but the others were having it back and forth. Manager -Mifflin, his black-covered score-book across his knees, was biting the -end of his pencil nervously. - -“Someone’s got to start something this inning,” Sid Morris was saying. -“He’s going to crack again before this game’s over, you mark my words. -And when he does we want to be right there, fellows.” - -“Calvert’s gone twelve innings,” said Speyer, “without shedding a -feather, and it looks to me as if he could do it today.” - -“He’s shed a few feathers already,” replied Jack. “We had him going -nicely in the third, and if things had worked right we might have been -running yet. What happened at third, Walt?” - -“My fault, I guess,” answered Hale. “I thought that hit was shorter. -Still, I ought to have kept on when Gordon was telling me to. I suppose -I got rattled.” - -“I’ll take it on first,” said Captain Craig. “Toby, take third, will -you? Play this safe till they’re two out and then pull ’em along any -old way!” He walked apart with Gordon Smith and then hurried down to -the coacher’s place at first, shouting encouragement to Tom as he went. - - - - -CHAPTER XXV - -A DOUBLE UNASSISTED - - -At the end of the bench sat Frank Foley, sombre gaze fixed on the -batsman. Joe, seeing him, felt sorry for his defeated rival and -wondered whether Mr. Talbot would put him in for an inning or two. He -surely deserved it, thought Joe. It was hard lines having to sit there -all through the big game without even a chance to warm his hands! Only, -he reflected, if Bat did put Foley in Jack would simply throw a fit! -At that instant Foley happened to turn his head and their looks met. -If Joe, averting his own glance quickly, had expected to find anger -or antagonism in the other’s eyes he was wrong. Foley met his gaze -impersonally, unsmilingly. They were still cheering lustily on the -stands when Calvert shot the first ball in. Then the noise died away, -to start again as the umpire called: - -“Ball!” - -Another ball followed. Then a low one that looked good from the bench -and, it seemed, looked good to the umpire. Tom Pollock gravely studied -the plate, took a new grip of his bat, and waited once more. The next -effort was wild and the ball almost got past the catcher. Amesville -shouted and jeered and the two coachers danced and waved and made noise -any way they could. Again Calvert pitched, and once more the ball went -wide. - -“Four balls!” announced Mr. Reardon. “Take your base!” - -“Here’s where we start!” cried Jack, excitedly thumping Joe’s knee. “Go -to it, Gordon, old scout! You know what to do!” - -“It’s the lucky seventh!” shouted the Amesville rooters ecstatically. -“Smash it, Smith! Bring him in! Here we go, fellows!” - -After that for many minutes Joe was too excited and anxious to know -what was going on around him, although once during the subsequent -proceedings he had a dim notion that Mr. John Hall and Coach Talbot -were shaking hands and that Walter Cummings had fallen backwards over -the water carboy! They were cheering Smith now as he faced the pitcher -with “sacrifice bunt” written large all over him. But Smith wasn’t -destined to sacrifice. Calvert simply wouldn’t allow him to. He, -too, ambled to first on a free ticket and bedlam broke loose in the -Amesville stand. Men on first and second with none out and only two -runs needed to tie! This was indeed the lucky seventh! Then came Sid -Morris, after listening to Coach Talbot’s instructions, and Sid was -there to hit, as he soon proved by swinging at and missing two pretty -poor balls. With the score two and two Fortune took a hand in the game. -Calvert was noticeably nervous now and when the fifth delivery shot -away from his hand――Sid had fouled off one――it twisted straight for -the batsman. Sid stepped back, but not far enough, and the ball struck -against his shoulder. He staggered away, dropping his bat and doubling -over. But by the time two or three of his team-mates had leaped to his -assistance he was smiling and shaking himself. - -“All right,” he said over his shoulder as he trotted down the line. - -That was the final undoing of Pitcher Calvert. Already the Petersburg -second-choice twirler was warming up behind the first base stand. -Calvert gazed anxiously around the filled bases, heard the frenzied -shrieks of the coachers and the wild, disconcerting babel from the -audience and faced the situation a bit wiltedly. The catcher soothed -and reassured him from in front of the plate and Calvert tried his -best to come back. But Jack laid his bat against the very first ball -that came his way and off screeched a line drive into left field, -scoring Tom and Gordon Smith and placing Sid on third. Jack took second -on the throw-in. - -Petersburg seemed inclined to stop the game then and there and have a -consultation about it, but Umpire Reardon would allow no post-mortems. -Calvert, the center of a group of dismayed players, yielded the -ball and took that long walk from the box to the bench, cheered -perfunctorily by friend and foe, and Gorman took up his task. Gorman -was younger, smaller, and slighter, and that he didn’t at once stop the -havoc being worked against Petersburg’s defences was not to be wondered -at. Hale was now at bat and the hoarse cries of the Amesville fellows, -mingled with the shrill shrieks of the coachers, whirled and eddied -about his head, imploring him to clear the bases. In the meanwhile -Petersburg’s coaches were rushing about, giving instructions to the -fielders. Gorman had speed and lots of it, and Petersburg cheered -loudly when his first offering cut the middle of the plate and went for -a strike. But Hale was not to be denied and a moment later he connected -with one of Gorman’s benders and lifted a high fly to deep left. The -fielder made a nice running catch of it, but could not prevent Morris -from scoring and putting the game at 5 to 4! - -Amesville was now wild with excitement and hats and pennants were -waving madly. With but one out and a run to the good the game seemed -won, for Jack Strobe was dancing around at third ready to come across -on any excuse. It was Peddie’s turn at bat, and Peddie, with one hit -already to his credit, would surely be good for another. He was. The -youngster let two wide ones go by him and then swung. _Crack_ went -bat and ball and the latter sped out into left field, free of the -outstretched hands of the fielders, and Jack romped home! - -Six to four now, and still there was only one down! Amesville sang -and shouted and tramped and waved flags and acted like so many happy -lunatics. Down at second Peddie sat on the bag and recovered his breath -while Gorman and Beale met for a conclave between plate and mound and -Joe, gripping his bat, strode resolutely to the plate. One hit had -been the portion of “Lucky” Faulkner that day, and one hit seemed very -little to him. And so, when the game went on, he watched and waited -craftily until Gorman had tried him on two wide ones and scored a -strike. Then Joe found what he wanted and smashed a drive toward third -baseman and streaked to first. In the ordinary course of events that -should have been the safest sort of a hit and should have put Peddie -across the rubber and left Joe on first. But, as it happened, the -Petersburg shortstop, who had all the afternoon performed remarkably, -sprinted across at full speed and when the ball eluded the frantic -glove of the third baseman, got it on the run and, without pausing, -slammed it to the plate! It was a close decision, but the umpire waved -Peddie out. That virtually ended the lucky seventh, for, although Joe -went down to second and slid into the bag an instant ahead of the ball, -Arthur Cummings proved an easy victim to Gorman’s skill. - -So, with the score 6 to 4, Petersburg went desperately to bat in the -eighth while the shadows lengthened across the diamond and the crowd on -the stand began to dribble down to the field. Joe made the first out in -that inning, taking a sizzling drive from Catcher Beale’s bat. After -that Smith threw out the centre fielder and Pitcher Gorman got a life -on Smith’s fumble of his grounder and took second when Tom walked the -head of the list. But it was all over a minute later when a fine throw -from Sam Craig caught the pitcher flat-footed off second. - -Sam led off for Amesville in the last of the eighth with a scratch hit -that proved too slow for second baseman to field in time. Tom Pollock -tried hard to get a hit, but finally fanned, and Smith was instructed -to lay down a bunt and advance Sam Craig. It was at this moment that -Joe saw Jack leave his place on the bench and speak to Coach Talbot. -What was said between them Joe couldn’t hear, nor did he try to, but -after a minute of indecision Mr. Talbot nodded his head and Jack -returned, looking, as Joe put it afterwards, like the cat who ate the -canary. - -“You and Bat got it all settled?” asked Joe laughingly as his friend -seated himself again. - -Jack rewarded Joe with a somewhat sheepish glance as he nodded. After a -moment he said in a low voice: “It was about Frank.” - -“What about him?” asked Joe, his gaze travelling to the end of the -bench. - -“You’ll see,” replied Jack evasively, and that was all that he would -say. - -Smith’s attempt to bunt resulted disastrously, for Gorman would have -none of it and the first thing Smith knew he was in the hole. When, -with two strikes and two balls against him, he tried to hit it out, -the ball slammed itself into Gorman’s glove and Smith was gone. Sid -Morris had better success, for he got a hit down the alley between -second and shortstop and Sam Craig advanced a base. Then Joe learned -the meaning of Jack’s converse with the coach. Mr. Talbot recalled -Jack, who had been half-heartedly awaiting his turn, and summoned Frank -Foley. - -“Foley! Take a whack at it. Don’t try to bend your bat. Just put one -through.” - -Foley, surprised, leaped from the bench. “Me, sir?” he asked. - -“Yes, hurry up!” - -Foley hurried. Half a dozen eager hands stretched out as many bats -toward him and, seizing a couple, he hurried to the plate, swinging -them eagerly. Foley’s friends in the stand applauded warmly and Joe -viewed Jack quizzically as the latter sank back into his place on the -bench. - -“Jack,” began Joe in a whisper. - -Jack turned on him rudely. “Oh, dry up!” he muttered. - -Joe chuckled. “You’re a fine hater, aren’t you?” he asked. - -“That’s got nothing to do with it,” declared Jack, reddening. “Frank’s -worked hard all spring and――and he deserved to get in.” - -“Of course, he did, and I’m glad, Jack, mighty glad. And it was decent -of you, you old poser, to let him――――” - -“Dry up and watch the game,” begged Jack. “I hope he does something!” - -And Frank, who seldom came through with a hit, today did the -unexpected. There was a strike and two balls against him when he took -his swing, a very healthy swing, too, and off went the ball straight -down the first base line, and in raced Sam, while Amesville cheered -another tally. But that was all, for Hale flied out to shortstop the -next minute and the inning ended. - -“All over but the cheering!” cried Jack as the bench emptied. “Hold -them safe, fellows! Don’t let anything slip, Joey! I’ll be watching -you!” - -Frank Foley trotted into left field and Loomis to right. But those were -the only substitutions made. Williams and Moran started to warm up by -Coach Talbot’s orders, but no one looked to see either of them get in. -The audience was already starting hesitantly toward the gates when -Petersburg’s right fielder went to bat. Five minutes later many of them -were scurrying back again, for, after fouling himself into the hole, -the batsman waited and walked! Petersburg cheered hopefully then and -when the next man up, who happened to be that redoubtable shortstop, -smashed a two-bagger over Peddie’s head, advancing the first runner to -third, she cheered quite madly! - -It was Amesville’s turn to show concern and Toby Williams began to -put on speed where he was pitching to Jack Speyer. But Coach Talbot, -contenting himself with low-toned instructions, never so much as looked -at Toby. The opponent’s left fielder was replaced by a pinch-hitter -and the pinch-hitter won fame and glory. He picked off Tom’s second -offering and sent it well into short centre, scoring the men from third -and second, putting himself on first and then going on to the next bag -when the throw was made to the plate in the attempt to head off the -shortstop! - -Seven to six! And only one out! No wonder Captain Craig walked down -to the box, amidst the joyful hoots of the visitors, and held a -consultation there with Tom. No wonder that at last Mr. Talbot’s glance -wandered along to where Williams and Moran were pitching. Scattered -cries of “Take him out!” arose from the uneasy throng back of the first -base line. But the demand was not general and, in any case, Coach -Talbot had other intentions. - -Captain Lyman came to bat, a little pale, very determined, and――struck -out! It was Amesville’s turn to jeer and rejoice and she did so, -relieving over-strained nerves. Tom faced the Petersburg second baseman -calmly and smilingly, got his signals from Sam, wound up and pitched. - -“Shtrike!” called the umpire, and the Brown-and-Blue partisans shouted -stridently. Then came a ball, a low one and wide, followed by a second -strike across the centre of the plate and shoulder high. Another ball -then, for Tom could afford to waste one, and then―――― - -Well, then there was a _crack_ of wood against leather and the batsman -was speeding to base! The ball went to Tom, but it was bounding crazily -and he could only knock it down in his first stab for it. When he had -it in hand he turned toward third to head off the runner from second -and saw that that youth had changed his mind and was on his way back -to the middle sack. Wheeling quickly, Tom pegged to Joe at first. But -by that time the Petersburg runner had rounded first and was dashing -to second. Joe caught and turned to throw to Smith when he caught -sight of the further runner doubling back. Sensing a mix-up, Joe held -the ball and raced for second base. The two runners reached that bag -simultaneously. The expected happened. Plump into each other they went -with a bang that doubtless made them see stars as they each rolled -apart, clear of the base! Joe threw himself between them, his hand with -the ball shot to the left and then to the right, and the game was over! - -Two minutes later, when Joe, with most of the others who had been -caught on the field, was being borne crazily about through the -laughing, jubilant throng, swaying and pitching above a sea of faces, -his bearers brought him for a moment abreast of Frank Foley and their -glances met. - -“That was great, Faulkner!” called Frank warmly. - -But Joe, smiling happily, shook his head. - -“Only luck,” he answered. - - -THE END - - - - - Transcriber’s Notes: - - ――Text in italics is enclosed by underscores (_italics_). - - ――Except for the frontispiece, illustrations have been moved to - follow the text that they illustrate. - - ――Printer’s, punctuation and spelling inaccuracies were silently - corrected. - - ――Archaic and variable spelling has been preserved. - - ――Variations in hyphenation and compound words have been preserved. - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FIRST BASE FAULKNER *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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