was well known. He
bought one or two new ones every day, and, often enough, grew
dissatisfied with his purchase before he had worn it. Then he tried to
sell it to some other member of the team, usually without success.

"Huh! Foul flag!" grunted Campbell. "Guess you don't know a swell tie
when you see it. I'm going to get it," he added rather desperately, as
though afraid he would change his mind.

"Go ahead. We'll go in and see fair play," suggested Joe, with a smile.

The tie was purchased, and the clerk, after selling the bright scarf,
seeing that Campbell had a package in his hand, inquired:

"Shall I wrap them both up together for you?"

"If you don't mind," replied the third baseman. And, in tying up the
bundle, the one Campbell had been carrying came open, disclosing three
neckties more gaudy, if possible, than the one he had just purchased.

"For the love of strikes!" cried Rad. "What are you going to do; start a
store?"

"Oh, I just took a fancy to these in a window down street," replied
Campbell easily. "Rather neat; don't you think?" and he held up a red
and green one.

"Neat! Say, they look like the danger signals in the New York subway!"
cried Rad. "Shade your eyes, Joe, or you won't be able to see the ball
to-morrow!"

"That shows how much taste you fellows have," snapped Campbell. "Those
are swell ties."

But the next day Joe heard Campbell trying to dispose of some of the
newly purchased scarfs to "Dots" McCann.

"Go ahead, 'Dots,' take one," pleaded the baseman. "You need a new tie,
and I've got more than I want. This red and green one, now; it's real
swell."

"Go on!" cried the other player. "Why I'd hate to look at myself in a
glass with that around my neck! And you'd better not wear it, either--at
least, not around town."

"Why not?" was the wondering answer.

"Because you might scare some of the mules, and there'd be a runaway.
Tie a stone around it, Campbell, and drown it. It makes so much noise I
can't sleep," and with that McCann walked off, leaving behind him a very
indignant teammate.

That night notice was given that all the players would assemble at the
baseball diamond in uniform next morning.

"That's the idea!" cried Joe. "Now for some real work."

CHAPTER XIV

HARD WORK

The rooms of the ball players were all in one part of the hotel, along
the same hall. Joe and Rad were together, near the stairway going down.

That night, their first in the training ca