e world. He could see that, like most mothers, she
was very proud of her eldest son, and had an abiding faith in his
ability to accomplish great things when later on he took his place in
business circles.

She had been a widow for some years. The house was very tidy, and a
pretty flower and vegetable garden spoke well for Fred's early rising
and assiduous labors as a young provider. When Jack purposely mentioned
that he had heard something about her anticipating a visit to the city
to spend a little while at a hospital, she shook her head sadly, and a
look of pain crossed her careworn face as she said:

"Dr. Cooper wants me to go and see his friend, who is a famous surgeon,
but I'm afraid the cost is much more than I can afford at present,
unless some miracle comes up before long. But I try to forget my
troubles, and feel that I have much to be thankful for in my three
children, all so healthy and so clever. Why, there's hardly a thing Fred
wouldn't do for me. Ah! if only his father could have lived to see him
now, how proud he would be of such a boy!"

When Jack came away after that little interesting talk, he felt very
down-hearted. What a shock it would be to his fond mother should she
ever be forced to learn that her boy had taken money from those who were
betting on the outcome of the great game, in order to betray his
comrades who placed the most implicit confidence in his loyalty.

Even though it were done with the best motive in the world, that of
trying to make his mother a well woman again, she would bitterly regret
his having yielded to such an ignoble temptation and fallen so low as to
sell a game.

Then came the last practice that afternoon, to prepare for the morrow,
when Harmony's confident hosts would come with brooms waving, to
indicate how they meant to sweep up the ground with poor Chester's best
offering.

Coach Hooker was on deck, for already the spirit of newly awakened sport
had permeated the whole place, so that the boss at his factory gladly
released him from duty for that special afternoon, in order that the
Chester boys might profit from his sage advice.

Fred did not show up until just before the game with the scrub team was
being called, so that of course Jack could not find an opportunity just
then to indulge in any side talk with the keeper of the third sack. He
determined not to let anything prevent his walking home in company with
Fred, however, and trying to see behind the mask