hey had a small package containing two of their best story
books.

"Here are a couple of books which perhaps you'll like to read on the
trains," said Jack. "We want you to accept them with the compliments of
all of us."

"Oh, story books!" And Phil Franklin's eyes lit up with pleasure. "I
love to read. Are you sure you can spare them?" And when they said they
could he continued: "That suits me immensely."

A little later father and son took their departure.

"Pretty nice people," was Jack's comment. "I certainly hope they get
their rights."

This meeting took place on the day when Longley Academy played Columbus
Academy. The cadets, remembering the score between Hixley High and
Longley, were very anxious to know how the Columbus team would fare
against the new school.

"Well, Longley wins again!" exclaimed Ned Lowe, who came in with the
news.

"What was the score?" questioned Gif with much interest.

"Eleven to two."

"You don't mean it!" cried Spouter. "Why, that's worse than the game
they took from Hixley High!"

"One thing is certain: The Longley team knows how to play," said Jack
decidedly. "We may not like Tommy Flanders and his bunch, but, just the
same, you've got to hand it to 'em for knowing how to put it across."

"It looks to me as if we might be in for a defeat," remarked another
cadet.

"Defeat! Don't talk that way, Leeds," stormed Gif. "Colby Hall is going
to win!"

"Well, I hope so, but I'm afraid you'll be disappointed," answered
Leeds. He was a new pupil, and was of a decidedly pessimistic turn of
mind.

The victories of Longley over Hixley and Columbus served one good
purpose. It caused Gif to call his team together and read them a stern
lecture.

"We are evidently up against a bunch of real ball players," said the
captain. "We've got to buckle down in this contest and do our very best,
and then some. I want every man to practice all he can from now on. And
when the time comes I want every man to play the game with all the
brains and all the nerve that are in him."

Longley Academy being devoted, as mentioned before, very largely to
physical culture and athletics, had an extra fine baseball grounds with
a beautiful new grandstand and bleachers. The new school was anxious to
show off these grounds, and so had insisted that the game be played
there, and this had been agreed to after it was announced that one half
of the stands should be set aside for the cadets of Colby Hall and th