them, and after the seventh inning they lost all hope of
winning. But the score was six to four, which might be considered
a little hopeful.

So Belleville, having lost all the games thus far played in which
she took part, was consequently eliminated as a contending factor
in the race for the pennant of the Three Town High School League.

This left it between Scranton and Allandale. The latter team had
a big advantage to start with, since they were already one game to
the good. But Scranton still had faith in Tyree, and if things
broke half-way decently in the next game they fully expected to
make their adversaries "take their dust," as Thad expressed it.

During this time, of course, the wonderful happenings at the Hosmer
cottage had become town talk. Everybody was greedily drinking in
such details of the story as they could manage to gather up.

Acting under the directions of Brother Lu, now known to every one
as the rich owner of the Hoover place, Mr. Luther Corbley, Hugh and
Thad did not hesitate to relate everything they knew, which, in fact,
covered the story from beginning to end. It thrilled all Scranton,
and would be related many times over as weeks and months passed by.
There had never been anything to compare with it in the annals of
all Scranton, or any other town in the county, for that matter.

Matilda and Andrew had gone to live in their new home, and the boys
were told that they might always "find the latch-string out," as
the genial genie of the whole undertaking assured both Hugh and
Thad. He seemed to have taken a decided liking for the chums, and
could not see enough of them. Many an evening did they spend over
at the new home. Thad never seemed to weary of listening to the
marvelous stories told by the great wanderer; nor did he any longer
have the least doubt regarding their accuracy. Indeed, after seeing
what marvels Brother Lu was able to bring to pass in the dull lives
of Matilda and her husband, Thad would have been ready to take anything
he said as Gospel truth.

Then came the Saturday when Allandale had to be met for the second
time. Hugh and his fellow players had worked hard through the week,
under the fostering care of Coach Leonard, to put themselves in fine
fettle for the hard game they anticipated lay ahead of them.

Never was a boy more pampered and looked after than Alan Tyree during
those last few days before the trial of skill and strategy took place
between himse