have
red blood in their veins. If your dad had lived I warrant there'd
be a different story to tell, because they say he liked all kinds
of healthy sport; but, somehow, Mrs. Jardine has taken a dislike to
such things that seems to keep growing stronger all the time, until
it's become a regular mania with her. But unless she changes her
mind there'll be a day coming when she'll bitterly regret it all.
I suppose now, if she had a daughter she'd prevent her from
associating with Sue, and Ivy, and Peggy, as well as all the other
high-school girls whose mothers actually allow them to go to dances
with us boys, and even cheer the Scranton players in a rattling
good baseball game."

There was an air of feverish expectation rampant throughout the whole
town, and wherever young people got together the talk was of nothing
else save the great event on the programme for the next day. Even
many older persons seemed to have become infected with the sporting
virus, because memories of other days were being recalled; and it
was remarkable how many elderly men had once been deeply interested
in just such things, though, of course, along somewhat less modern
lines.

Then again there was an undercurrent of talk that carried a thrill
along with it. Stories that could not be confirmed, but were believed
more or less, began to be circulated to the effect that some
irresponsible parties meant to start something during the tournament
that was calculated to bring disrepute upon the town of Scranton. It
as even darkly hinted that the partly built, new, wooden fence had been
set on fire as a lark; and quads of curious boys and girls even
circulated long its entire length, bent upon ascertaining if such a
thing could really be true.

When they failed to find any evidence of a fire, they were still
unconvinced; for, of course, it would be policy on the part of the
management to conceal all traces, so as to save the good name of the
town.

These rumors could not be traced to any particular source, but there
are always a certain number of persons who delight to circulate such
stories, and, perhaps, add a little to the same with each and every
additional telling, until a trivial happening becomes a colossal thing.

That the committee in general charge of the great undertaking cherished
some sort of fear that some daring outrage might be attempted by boys
who were not connected with the high school was evident from the fact
that they had h