ff that prize offered for hammer throwing,
because that is his pet hobby, you see Yes, and more than that, he
said they were all crazy up at his 'burg' over the big meet, boys
being out practicing every sort of stunt, even to road-running by
moonlight."

"That sounds good to me," Hugh observed, not appearing to show any
sign of alarm over the stirring news. "It means we'll have a wonderfully
successful affair. Who carries off the prizes is a matter for the
different schools to take care of, and those of us who believe in
clean, honest sport only hope the best fellows win."

"Huh!" grunted Owen Dugdale, "it goes to show that Allandale is all
worked up over losing the baseball pennant to Scranton, and means to
get even by carrying off the majority of the prizes our committee has
offered for the dozen or more events to be contested for."

"But he also informed me," continued the bearer of news, "that over
in Belleville they were just as much excited as in his town, so that
every fellow who'd entered for any event, even to climbing the greased
pole or the sack race, was diligently practicing his particular stunt.
Oh! it's just going to be the greatest athletic tournament ever held
in this section of the country, believe me."

Some of the more timid among the boys seemed to think that Scranton
would come out second best when the great meet was a thing of the past;
but others only found themselves more determined than ever to win,
after learning how their rivals had entered into the affair with
heart and soul.

Hugh's often-expressed motto that the "best man should win" found an
echo in the majority of their hearts, and they vied with each other in
promising to give every ounce of ability to doing Scranton High credit.

Mr. Leonard came around to have a few words with his boys. He was
a great favorite with the majority of the scholars under his charge,
and to his clever method of coaching they attributed considerable
of their success on the diamond of recent months. If only his rules
were strictly adhered to it was possible that Allandale and Belleville
might be due for another rude surprise when they came over, bent on
carrying off the majority of the high honors.

"It is going to be no easy sledding for anybody,---remember that,
fellows," the athletic instructor went on to say, after he had been
told how both adjoining towns entered in the meet were striving
with might and main to excel in every sort of event.