ike, sleep in open fields, or hop a freight train? It took
me five days and five nights. The longest five days of my life, and I
was only sixteen at the time. But I did get there. Tired, anxious and
half-starved, I blew into the Illinois Central Station at Waterloo, Iowa
on a freight train early in the evening. Just before it stopped, I
jumped off and went head over heels right in front of the passenger
house. I hardly had time to pick myself up off the ground before the
stationmaster grabbed me and shouted, 'What do you think you're doing?
Come on, get out of here before I run you in!'

"'No,' I said. 'I'm reporting to the Waterloo Ball Club.'

"'You're what?' he says. 'My God! Did you ever wash your face?'

"'Yes I did,' I said. 'But I've been travelling for five days and five
nights, and I am anxious to get to the Ball Park. Where do the
ballplayers hang around?'

"'At the Smoke Shop,' he says. 'Down the street about a half of a mile.
If you walk down there, probably whoever you're looking for will be
there.'

"So I thanked him and said I'd see to it that he got a free pass to the
ball game as soon as I got settled, and started off for the Smoke Shop.
It turned out that two brothers owned the Smoke Shop, and they also
owned the Ball Club. One of them was behind the counter when I walked
into the place. He took one look at me and let out a roar like a lion's.

"'What are you doing in here?' he yelled. This is a respectable place!
Get out of here!'

"'Wait a minute,' I says. 'I've got a telegram from the manager of the
Ball Club to report here, and if I make good I'll get a contract.'

"'Are you kidding?' he says. 'Who in the world ever recommended you?'

"'Howard Wakefield did,' I said.

"'Well,' says the guy behind the counter, 'Wakefield is in back shooting
billiards. We'll soon settle this!'

"I'd like to go back and see him,' I said.

"'Don't you go back there,' he shouted. 'Don't even think about going
back there! You'll drive everybody out. Did you ever take a bath?'

"'Of course I did,' says I. 'But I've bummed my way here and I haven't
had a chance to clean up yet.'

"So he goes into the back and in a minute Howard comes out 'Cripes!' he
says. 'What happened to you?'

"I was explaining it to him when in came Mr. Frisbee, the manager, and I
was introduced to him. 'I received your telegram,' I said. 'I didn't
have enough money to come first class or anything like that, but here I
am.'

"'Keok