Frank V. Webster

“ By virtue of his election as captain of the Second eleven the previous fall, he had inherited the leadership of the School Team.
"If I've aroused any one's ill-will in the past, I want them to remember it was in the past, and, forgetting it, to work with me to wrest the championship from Landon this fall," he said. "By working in harmony, each one doing his best, I think we can win—and if we do, the Baxter 1912 football team will never be forgotten."
So unusual was such good nature in the rich bully, that Buttons, Soda, Bronson and Fred were first amazed and then delighted. ”

“ Going to the boy, the leader of the Firsts put his arm around Fred's shoulder.
"Won't you really try for the team?" he asked. "The Second will never have a good show against Landon."
"You know I'd like to, Sandow, but I can't," replied Fred, a catch in his voice.
"You know the game, so you won't need much practice," urged Hal.
"More than I can give, though. I'll need every spare minute for science."
"But what's the honor—" began Hal, when Fred interrupted him.
"It isn't the honor—it's the money," he said. ”

“ And, turning on his heel, Bart crossed the diamond, joining his mother and guests in the grand stand.
"Aren't you going to play?" exclaimed one of the girls.
"No; Markham's gang runs the team."
"But they shouldn't allow their jealousy to keep a good player like you out of the deciding game," declared another member of the party.
"If you knew Markham, you'd understand," returned the bully, rejoicing at the utterly false impression he had given of his rival.
Further effort to prejudice his friends was forgotten in the yell that arose from the Landon stand. ”

“ The expression on Bart's face as his sister's action frustrated his plot to prevent the contest for the scholarship, was not pleasant to see, but it happened that only Fred and Margie were looking at him.
The gates being thus let down, three more students, a boy and two girls, enrolled, after which the entries were closed.
"You're a nice one, you are," growled Lefty, at Fred, as the students passed from the hall. "What did you enter for? You haven't a ghost of a show and you're leaving the team in the lurch. You're a traitor to Baxter—that's what you are!" ”

“ I don't know what Baxter is coming to when Second Formers can criticize their betters."
The austerity of the First Form student frightened Bronson.
"Do you suppose Mr. Hill will be angry at what you said?" he asked in a whisper.
"He may pretend to be," returned Fred, "but he won't be, really. The Firsts always put on a lot of airs. If you let them, they'll make your life miserable. Just don't take what they say seriously. But there's one thing you must remember—don't talk back to them. It's one of Baxter's unwritten laws that Lower Formers must not talk back to the Firsts." ”

“ Instinctively, each boy squared his shoulders at this voicing of the thoughts that had been uppermost in their minds, ever since they learned they were being followed.
"That's certain enough or there wouldn't be six of them to only three of us," returned Sandow. "Crouch down, and we may be able to upset 'em."
"I say charge 'em," breathed Fred. "Bart'll expect us to back up against the fence. So if we run hard, we can break through them."
That the rich bully was the leader of their pursuers, neither Sandow nor Buttons doubted. ”

“ I entirely forgot, until you were gone, that this was hazing night—or I should have asked Sandow and Buttons to go out with you and Margie."
From the expression on the face and the look in the eyes of the mother he loved so dearly, Fred realized that she would add to her already heavy burden, worry over him, every time he escorted Margie to her home.
"Now, Momsy, you must quit worrying about me right now," he said, affectionately putting his arm around her waist. "I'm old enough and big enough and strong enough to take care of myself. You know, I like Marg, and I like to walk home with her. ”

“ As Fred spoke, the other boys had formed a circle about the two and eagerly they awaited the bully's response.
For a moment, Bart was on the point of refusing. Then, as Fred had hoped, he saw the chance of humiliating his rival before his friends and sneered:
"You, giving a supper? Who's going?"
"That's none of your business, Bart Montgomery. Will you meet me at five—or are you afraid to?"
"I afraid to meet you? Say, if you'll take my advice, you'll postpone your supper. You'll be more fit for bed and a doctor than a supper."
This taunt drew shouts of approval from Bart's followers. ”

“ As captain, I shall play the players I want—not the ones you want."
"Humph!"
"If Fred Markham wants to try for second base, he can have all the show in the world, and if he makes good, he'll play the bag in——"
"Then I won't pitch," snarled Bart.
At this second defiance, Hal was silent a moment.
"Who's throwing the school now?" he flashed. "You seem to think you're running this team, but you're not. You'll either report for practice at the grounds this afternoon at three o'clock, or you'll not pitch a single ball for Baxter this season. ”

“ I don't know one who doesn't like Cotton-Top——"
"Except Mary and Alice Montgomery," interrupted Fred's chum.
"You're wrong there, Buttons. I'm pretty sure they both like him. Anyhow, the others all do—and you know how a girl can twist a fellow round. Well, my idea is to have Sallie, Grace and Dorothy talk with the others and get them to put it to their brothers and friends not to twit Fred about his father."
"They'd never agree," declared Buttons. "Too many of the boys are jealous of Cotton-Top, to be friends with him." ”

“ Warned by his team mates, Fred whipped the ball across the diamond in a low, straight throw.
"Runner out!" shouted the umpire, and a cheer of relief broke from the Baxter throats.
Mitchell proved an easy out, shortstop to first base.
Hal's team retired in order in their half. No runs were scored by either side in the eighth inning, and Landon failed to cross the plate in their half of the ninth.
"Make it extra innings!" shouted the home enthusiasts. "That pitcher's tiring!"
"Here's where we win, boys," exclaimed Hal to his men. "If a man gets on a base, we've got to bring him home." ”

“ It's Jim who'll be missed," replied the boy.
"Don't you believe it, father," returned the school pitcher. "Bart Montgomery has more speed than I have. He won the game last year."
"He may have more speed, but he hasn't your control nor jump, Clothespin," returned Fred. "Besides, he gets rattled. Landon knows that, and they'll certainly go after him with their tin horns."
"I'm sorry if I have jeopardized Baxter's chances of winning, but it is just as well you boys should realize that business is of more importance than baseball, or anything else," came from the lawyer. ”

“ For a moment, Fred gazed after her in speechless amazement.
"Well, of all things!" he murmured to himself, when at last he had recovered from his surprise. "It's lucky Bart wasn't round. He's brute enough to be mean to his own sister."
Further consideration of Alice's words was prevented by the noisy appearance of several boys from the basement.
"Hey, you Cotton-Top, what are you lallygagging up here for?" demanded Soda, as he caught sight of Fred. "Get a move on and come down. We need your vote." ”

“ Either because they had other ideas of how they should proceed, or because the suddenness of their intended victims' action paralyzed them, Bart's followers did not immediately obey.
And their delay was their leader's undoing.
With great force, Fred, backed by Buttons and Sandow, struck the lone boy on the sidewalk, bowling him over as though he were a tenpin.
"There's no one else ahead," exclaimed Fred. "Guess we were too quick for 'em. No use running any more." ”

“ Markham listened to the glowing description of her son's home run.
"Too bad you will be unable to play when Landon comes here," she exclaimed.
"Fred not play?" gasped the others in consternation.
"I'm sorry, but he must go to Manchester. His father has sent for him," explained Mrs. Markham.
"Can't he put it off?" pleaded Sandow. "One day won't make any difference, will it?"
"Unfortunately, it will. The matter is of the utmost importance," replied Fred's mother.
"Then I must let Hal know, right after supper," declared the second baseman. ”

“ Realizing that now was the time for their nine to score, if ever, the Landon students howled and tooted their horns madly, striving their utmost to rattle Bronson.
"Steady, Clothespin, and show 'em what you can do," encouraged Fred. "Give him three in-shoots. He'll never hit at one with three balls on you."
"Guess you're right," replied Bronson.
And to the relief of Baxter, the boy struck out the batter.
The man on first, however, had gone to second on the first ball pitched, but with the man on third Gregory had not attempted to throw him out. ”

“ Among the Baxter alumni who had been looking Bronson over was Jack Hastings, who had pitched his nine to one victory the year before.
"I suppose Hal has told you what kind of balls the Landon veterans like," he said, approaching the boy.
"Yes, I think I know all I can without actually facing them," Bronson replied.
"Good. If you'll take my advice, though, you'll make the third and fourth men up hit pop flies—they're the hardest batters on the team."
"I always try to strike out the first men who face me—it rather takes the life out of the team," replied the pitcher quietly. ”

“ Why are you all in here?" Fred inquired, looking from one to another of his friends.
"The girls wanted to help me put the supper on the table and Sandow and Buttons could not bear to be separated from Sallie and Grace for so long," smiled Mrs. Markham.
"I can understand that," returned Fred. "But there's something else. Every one of you has a guilty expression." ”

“ For some reason, Bronson had not attended the meeting, but he had heard about Bart's objection to Fred and final defiance of his captain.
"Is Montgomery such a phenomenal pitcher?" he asked, as he walked home with Fred.
"He's the best we've had at Baxter in years. Why, last year, even when he was a Third, he held Landon to six hits in the second game. And he can bat, too," declared his rival generously. "Indeed, it was his work more than anything else that made the usual third game unnecessary."
"Aren't there any other fellows who can pitch?" ”

“ Vining this morning on the street, and she told me about his boarding with her and said she hoped you and he would be friends. Just then the girls came along and I thought it would be pleasant for Mr. Bronson if he could meet them. So I asked them and sent him an invitation."
"Momsy, you're a fox! You mean you thought you could keep Sandow and me at home where you could watch us," laughed Fred.
"Well, shall I tell the girls you prefer your skylarking to their society?" inquired Mrs. Markham. ”

“ During this conversation, neither mother nor son had more than tasted the delicious dinner that was growing cold on the table before them, and in one more attempt to divert Fred's thoughts, Mrs. Markham said:
"You will never make your football team if you don't eat."
The words suggested to Fred that he could not afford to sacrifice any strength for his bout with Bart Montgomery by abstaining from food, and, though it was with little relish, he ate his dinner. ”

“ Do you suppose if your father had made money by his failure he would now be trying to find a position in order to earn money with which to support us. Fred, your father is an honest man—which is more than Bart Montgomery's mother can say about his father, with all his wealth! ”