were always happening to him.

"I've never seen a game," said the professor. "I used to play myself
long ago, when we had a yarn ball and pitched underhand. I'll have to
come out to the field some day. President Halstead, why, he likes
baseball, he's a--a--what do you call it?"

"A fan--a rooter?" replied Ken, smiling.

"Um-m. I guess that's it. Well, Mr. Ward, I'm glad to meet you. You may
go now."

Ken got up blushing like a girl. "But, Doctor, you were to--I was to be
examined."

"I've examined you," he drawled, with a dry chuckle, and he looked over
his huge spectacles at Ken. "I'll give you a passing mark. But, Mr. Ward,
you know a heap more about baseball than you know about physics."

As Ken went out he trod upon air. What a splendid old fellow! The sophomore
had lied. For that matter, when had a sophomore ever been known to tell
the truth? But, he suddenly exclaimed, he himself was no longer a freshman.
He pondered happily on the rosy lining to his old cloud of gloom. How
different things appeared after a little time. That old doctor's smile
would linger long in Ken's memory. He felt deep remorse that he had ever
misjudged him. He hurried on to Worry Arthurs' house to tell him the good
news. And as he walked his mind was full with the wonder of it all--his
lonely, wretched freshman days, now forever past; the slow change from
hatred; the dawning of some strange feeling for the college and his
teachers; and, last, the freedom, the delight, the quickening stir in
the present.

IX

PRESIDENT HALSTEAD ON COLLEGE SPIRIT

Wayne's opening game was not at all what Ken had dreamed it would be.
The opposing team from Hudson School was as ill-assorted an aggregation
as Ken had ever seen. They brought with them a small but noisy company
of cheering supporters who, to the shame of Ken and his fellows, had
the bleachers all to themselves. If any Wayne students were present
they either cheered for Hudson or remained silent.

Hudson won, 9 to 2. It was a game that made Arthurs sag a little lower
on the bench. Graves got Wayne's two tallies. Raymond at second played
about all the game from the fielding standpoint. Ken distinguished
himself by trying wildly and accomplishing nothing. When he went to
his room that night he had switched back to his former spirits, and
was disgusted with Wayne's ball team, himself most of all.

That was on a Wednesday. The next day rain prevented practice, and on
Friday the bo