e and
gymnasium has been helped mightily by the clever work done this day. I
heard of three influential gentlemen who had declared they were willing
to take a hand, just because such determined and hard-playing boys stood
in need of such an institution."

"Yes, Chester has been away behind the times in looking after the morals
and requirements of her young people," admitted Fred. "There's Marshall
with its fine Y. M. C. A. building and gym., and even Harmony has a
pretty good institution where the young fellows can belong, and spend
many a winter's evening in athletic stunts calculated to build up their
bodies, and make them more healthy."

"Well, believe me, the day is about to dawn when Chester will be put on
the map for the same stuff," asserted Jack, not boastingly, but with
full confidence; "and these splendid baseball matches we're pulling off
nowadays are bound to help to bring that same event to pass. Men who had
almost forgotten that they used to handle a bat in their kid days have
had their old enthusiasm for the national sport of America revived.
Depend upon it, Fred, in good time we'll be playing football, hockey,
basketball, and every sort of thing that goes to make up the life of a
healthy boy."

In this fashion did the pair talk as they hurried along. The drops were
beginning to come down faster now, showing that when the game was
called, it had been a very wise move, for many people must otherwise
have been caught in the rain.

Fred seemed to be fairly cheerful at the time Jack shook his hand again,
and once more congratulated him on his fine work for the team. Looking
back after they had parted, Jack saw the boy stop at his door and
hesitate about entering, which seemed to be a strange thing for a member
of the gallant baseball team that had covered themselves with glory on
that particular day to do.

But then Jack could guess how possibly Fred might be feeling his heart
reproach him again because he had chosen his course along the line of
honor. He must get a grip on himself before he could pass in and see
that weary look on her face. Jack shook his head as he hurried on to his
own house. He felt that possibly the crisis in Fred's young life had,
after all, only been postponed, and not altogether passed. That terrible
temptation might come to him again, more powerful than ever; and in the
game at Harmony, if a choice were given him, would he be just as able to
resist selling himself as he had on