this wonderful day?

CHAPTER VIII

THE PUZZLE GROWS

It was just three days afterwards when Jack saw his two chums again. On
Sunday morning his father had occasion to start to a town about thirty
miles distant, to see a sick aunt who depended on him for advice. She
had sent word that he must fetch Jack along with him, Jack being the old
lady's special favorite and probably heir to her property.

Jack's father was a lawyer, and often had trips to make in connection
with real estate deals, and estates that were located in distant parts.
Consequently, it was nothing unusual for him to receive a sudden call.
Jack might have preferred staying in Chester, where things were
commencing to grow pretty warm along the line of athletics, his favorite
diversion. His parents, however, believed it would be unwise to offend
the querulous old dame who was so crotchetty that she might take it into
her head to change her will, and leave everything to some society for
the amelioration of the condition of stray cats. It would be a great
pity to have all that fine property go out of the Winters' family, they
figured; and perhaps they were wise in thinking that way; little Jack
cared about it, not being of a worldly mind.

So when he sighted Toby and Steve on the afternoon of his return, he
gave the pair a hail, and quickly joined them on the street.

"Glad you've got back home, Jack, sure I am," said Toby, the first
thing.

"Why," added Steve, "we didn't even get a chance to compare notes with
you about that great game on Saturday, though Toby and myself have
talked the subject threadbare by now."

"And one thing we both agree about, Jack," continued Toby, with a grin.

"What's that?" demanded the other.

"Fred saved the day when he stopped that terrible line drive of O'Leary,
and shot the ball home as straight as a die. No professional player
could possibly have done it a shade better, I'm telling you."

"It was a grand play," admitted Jack, "and I told Fred so while we
walked home together."

Steve looked keenly at him when Jack said this.

"Oh! then you got a chance to talk with Fred after the game, did you?"
he ventured to say, in a queer sort of way. "How did Fred act then,
Jack?"

"Well, I must say he didn't impress me as being over-enthusiastic,"
admitted Jack. "You see, he had done his whole duty in the heat of
action, and after he had a chance to cool off and realize what he had
lost, he may have felt a tou