ho had seen
it.

"Wasn't that a peach?" asked Wayland enthusiastically.

"It certainly was!" agreed the professor warmly. "I didn't think he had
a chance to reach it."

"Of course, one swallow doesn't make a summer," conceded Wayland, "and
perhaps he couldn't do it often."

"I don't think it was a fluke," said the professor. "I saw him make a
swift pick-up a few minutes ago that nine out of ten would have missed.
And he threw down to first almost on a line. The ball didn't rise more
than three inches on the way down."

"If he can keep up that kind of work, he'll give Ward all he can do to
hold his job," declared Ned.

"Baseball ability seems to run in the family," said the professor. "Fred
is a first-rate pitcher, and, with him in the box besides yourself, I
think we'll be well fortified in that position. Besides, he's a good
hitter, and on days when he isn't pitching, you can put him in to bat at
times when a hit is needed."

"Yes," agreed Ned, "he'll be a great big element in our success this
season. That outcurve of his is awfully hard to hit, and his drop ball
is a pippin."

"As for the backstop," went on the professor, "Tom Eldridge hasn't any
rival. Granger, at first base, is a star both in fielding and hitting.
But we're not any too strong at second. Hendricks doesn't seem to take
so much interest in his work as he did last season."

"How would it do to put Morley there, on trial?" suggested Ned. "Then we
could shift Ward to third and try out Teddy Rushton at short."

For several days the sifting process went on, but when the line up was
finally settled upon, Teddy held down short, while Fred was to alternate
with Ned as pitcher.

The nine practiced faithfully, playing with neighboring village teams
and making a good record. They had won three games and lost only one,
and that by a close score, when the day came for the Mount Vernon game.

This was to be held on the enemy's grounds, and the boys had a train
ride of twenty miles before they reached the station. A crowd of the
Rally Hall boys went with them, to root and cheer for a victory over
their most important baseball rivals.

The Green Haven station was crowded that morning with hilarious youths,
and there was a buzzing as of a swarm of bees, while they waited for
their train to come.

The only fly in the ointment was the cloudy condition of the sky. No
rain had fallen, but it looked as though it might come down at any
moment.

"It's up