brought him along, and we
were all nicely introduced and everything was as proper as you please."

"Did you buy the car?" he asked witheringly.

"Oh, no, he advised me, confidentially, not to. He is going to change to
the Bemis agency to-morrow, and he thinks he will find it much more
satisfactory. Wasn't it a lovely night? Did you have a nice time with the
High and Mighties? Kitty is going to stay all night with me, and we are
just making some hot chocolate. Won't you come for a cup?--Oh, just Kitty
and I, and it is quite early. Come along, and we'll tell you all the bad
points about the Doric. But they say the Bemis is a wonder."

CHAPTER IX

ADMITTING DEFEAT

The first Saturday after the organization of the Irish-American League
brought a blessed spring rain, especially heaven-sent on her account,
Eveley felt quite sure, for she was greatly worn from coping with motor
salesmen and the father-in-law situation. And this was a rain that not
even boys could stand, so she had a blissful afternoon alone, purring and
puttering about contentedly in her Cloud Cote.

But on the second Saturday, according to agreement, the League met in the
appointed field for a game. This was Eveley's first opportunity to
witness the development of American principles in her chosen flotsam. The
meeting had been called for one-thirty, and although Eveley arrived
fifteen minutes early she found the field occupied by fully twenty youths
of varying sizes, colors and brogues. She gazed upon the motley array in
helpless horror.

"Ern Swanson is going to be the captain," said John Hop, with his
ingratiating Oriental smile. "We just had an election and elected him."

"But we already have a captain," protested Eveley, looking not without
sympathy to the corner where Ivan Kerensky nursed his humiliation.

"We didn't know Ern was coming in," said Alfredo Masseno, who had hurried
up with half a dozen others to greet her. "Ern, he ought to be the
captain. He's awful rough; and baseball, why, he eats baseball alive! And
he won't come in unless he is the captain, and if he don't come with us
he'll join the Red Dogs on National Avenue, and we want him with us
because we have challenged them to a game and if they get Ern they'll
lick us."

Then the newly elected captain sauntered up, his good-natured face
reflecting the glory of his new command as well as his natural Swedish
temperament.

"He doesn't look rough," said Eveley critically.