ready to apply for every
sort of position. Jack Winters had managed to awaken the sleepy town,
and "start things humming," most fellows admitted, being willing to give
him the greater part of the credit.

So when the game was ended, the players gathered around Joe Hooker to
listen to his frank criticisms, and pledge themselves anew to do their
level best to "take Harmony's scalp" on the morrow.

Jack kept on the watch, and both Toby and Steve saw what he was aiming
at when he hurriedly left the group and walked quickly after Fred, who
had started toward home.

"Only hope he makes his point," muttered Toby to the other. "Fred
certainly played like a fiend today. Nothing got by him, you noticed. He
scooped that hummer from Bentley's bat off the ground as neat as wax. No
professional could have done better, I heard Joe Hooker say. He thinks
Fred is a jim-dandy at third, and that he's a natural ball player,
strong at the bat, as well as in the field."

Meanwhile, Jack had overtaken Fred, who, hearing his footsteps, turned
his head to see who might be hurrying after him. Jack fancied he looked
a trifle confused at seeing the captain of the team trying to come up
with him, though that might only be imagination, after all. Still,
doubtless Fred's mother must have mentioned the fact that Jack had been
at the house twice that morning, as though he had something of
importance to communicate.

"I'm going your way, it happens, this afternoon, Fred," Jack remarked as
he came up, "as I have an errand over at your neighbor, Mrs. Jennings, a
commission for my mother; so I'll step alongside, and we can chat a bit
as we walk along."

"Glad to have your company, Jack," said Fred; but all the same he did
not seem so _very_ enthusiastic over it. "The boys all worked like
a well-oiled machine today, I noticed, and if only we can do as well in
the big game, we ought to have a look in, I should think."

"We've just _got_ to make up our minds we mean to win that game
tomorrow, no matter how Hendrix pitches gilt-edged ball," Jack told him.
"Every fellow must tell himself in the start that he will let nothing
whatever interfere with his giving Chester of his very best. I don't
care what it may be that stands in the way, we must brush it aside, and
fight together to carry the day. Why, Chester will just go crazy if only
we can down the boasting team that has never tasted defeat this season
up to that fluke game, when they underestimated th