s much about
baseball as you do, he'll be of great assistance to Barville!"

"I'm backing my knowledge with cash, if I can find anybody who has sand
enough to bet with me," said Herbert.

"I'll bet you a dollar," shouted Phil.

"Only a dollar? Dear me! Can't you do any better than that? I've got
fifteen long green chromos that I'd like to wager on Barville."

For a few moments this seemed to stagger the group that had gathered
about him. Fifteen dollars was a lot of money, and it seemed doubtful
if any other individual in the crowd, with the possible exception of
Eliot, could raise as much--and Eliot would not bet.

"Wish I had fifteen dollars," muttered Crane. "I'd go him. It would
be jest like findin' money."

Two or three of the boys drew aside and whispered together. Springer
was one of these, and in a moment he called some others from the
gathering near Herbert. There was more whispering and not a little
nodding of heads, and then of a sudden Phil turned and walked back
toward the city youth.

"Rackliff," he said, "if you really mean business, if you've got
fifteen dollars you want to bet on Barville, meet me at the post office
at noon, and I'll have the money to go you."

"Excellent," murmured Herbert, breathing forth a little thin blue
smoke. "I'll be there with my money. Don't forget the appointment,
Springer."

CHAPTER VIII.

READY FOR THE GAME.

Never before had the Barville baseball team brought such a crowd of
supporters into Oakdale. They came, boys and girls, wearing their
school colors, bearing banners, and bringing tin horns and cowbells.
The manner in which they swept into Oakdale and hurried, eager and
laughing, toward the athletic field, plainly betokened their high
confidence in the outcome of the contest. Even a few older persons
came over from Barville on one pretext or another, and found it
convenient to spend a portion of the afternoon watching the baseball
game.

"Jinks!" chuckled Chipper Cooper, as he watched the visitors pour in
and fill up the generous section of bleachers reserved for them. "They
certainly act as if they thought they were going to have a snap to-day.
Barville must be depopulated. Never fancied so many people lived over
there."

"Beyond question," said Roger Eliot quietly, "they believe their team
has at least an even chance for the game; otherwise, not half so many
would have made the journey to watch it."

"It must be on account of th