ed Rackliff.

"That's just it. Now this is my home, and I've got to be careful about
some things. I don't want to get everybody down on me."

"I haven't observed," said Rackliff unfeelingly, "that you're
particularly popular with the fellows of this benighted burg."

"I'll make myself a blame sight more unpopular if they ever get onto it
that I bet against my own school team. You can do it, for you say you
don't expect to stay here more than one term, anyhow. Then if my folks
should know, they'd raise the merry dickens."

"And that would break the monotony of a severely humdrum existence.
I've had more than one stormy session with the head of my family. How
much money did you scrape together?"

"I haven't counted it yet," answered Roy, thrusting his hand into his
pocket and looking around, as if apprehensive that they were being
watched. "I say, Herb, are you really dead sure that Barville will win
this afternoon?"

Rackliff sighed. "As sure as one can be of anything in this old world.
Hook, you've got cold feet."

"Well, I wouldn't want to lose this money. I can't afford to lose it.
I can't lose it."

"You won't, old chap--you won't. I'm getting you in on this out of
pure friendliness, nothing else; and you must remember what I agreed to
do yesterday--if you lose, I'll stand for the loss."

"That's generous; that's all right. Perhaps you can't get any bets,
anyhow. The fellows around here aren't given to betting real money on
baseball." Roy produced a closely folded little wad of bills and some
loose change. "Here's all I have," he went on. "I'm going to let you
take it and bet it on Barville, if you can." There was a two dollar
bill, two ones, and eighty-five cents in change.

"Fifteen cents more would make an even five," said Herbert. "Can't you
dig that much up?"

"This is all I have," repeated Hooker, "every last red cent. I'll have
to pay admission to the game, too, as long as I'm not on the nine. I
must keep a quarter for that."

"And that leaves it forty cents shy of a fiver. Well, if necessary,
I'll make that up. I'm going to risk ten of my own money."

"Risk it?" muttered Hooker, again troubled by qualms.

"Oh, you know what I mean. There's no risk; that's simply a sporting
term. A fellow with sporting blood likes to pretend he's taking a
chance, whether he is or not. Where did you get----" He stopped
short, suddenly fancying it best not to inquire into the source of hi