nd a fake Texan, mainly
because of his quiet manners and conventional appearance; for these
unsophisticated New England lads had been led, through the reading of a
certain brand of Western literature, to believe that all Texans, and
especially those who dwelt upon ranches, must be of the "wild and
woolly" variety. Perceiving this at last, Rod had proceeded to amuse
himself not a little by assuming a false air of bravado, and spinning
some highly preposterous yarns of his hair-lifting adventures upon the
plains; a course which, however, adopted too late to be effective,
simply confirmed the doubters--who could not realize that they were
being joshed--in their belief that the fellow was an out-and-out fraud.

Adding to Grant's unpopularity, and the growing disdain in which he was
held, although plainly a strong, healthy, athletic chap, he not only
refused to come out for football, but displayed an aversion for violent
physical contention of any sort, especially fighting; which caused him
to be branded as a coward. But the time came when, unable longer to
endure the insults heaped upon him, the restraint of the young Texan
snapped like a bowstring, and the boys of Oakdale found that a sleeping
lion had suddenly awakened. Then it came to be known that Grant had
inherited a most unfortunate family failing, a terrible temper, which,
when uncontrolled, was liable to lead him into extreme acts of
violence; and it was this temper he feared, instead of the fellows he
had shunned whenever they sought to provoke him. Even now, although
baseball was a gentle game in comparison with football, he was not
absolutely sure he could always deport himself as a gentleman and a
sportsman while playing it.

When the boys of the academy and the citizens of the town had joined in
praise of Grant's courageous efforts in the work of rescuing Lela
Barker from drowning, Hooker, who never had words of eulogy for anyone
save himself, remained silent. Not that he had not come, like others,
suddenly to regard the young Texan with respect; but for one of his
envious nature respect does not always mean liking, no throb of which
was awakened in his bosom. Indeed, he secretly disliked Rodney Grant
more than ever, and, now that Springer had taken Grant in hand to make
a pitcher of him, Roy's spleen was embittering his very soul.

Elbows on his knees, projecting chin on his clenched fists, he sullenly
watched Rod pitch for the first time to batters.