g and
loneliness--perhaps necessary and curbing nightmares in the life of a
freshman--were things of the past. He made acquaintances, slowly lost
his backwardness, and presently found college life opening to him bright
and beautiful. Ken felt strongly about things. And as his self-enforced
exile had been lonely and bitter, so now his feeling that he was really
a part of the great university seemed almost too good to be true. He
began to get a glimmering of the meaning of his father's love for the
old college. Students and professors underwent some vague change in his
mind. He could not tell what, he did not think much about it, but there
was a warmer touch, a sense of something nearer to him.

Then suddenly a blow fell upon the whole undergraduate body. It was a
thunderbolt. It affected every student, but Ken imagined it concerned
his own college fortunes more intimately. The athletic faculty barred
every member of the varsity baseball team! The year before the faculty
had advised and requested the players not to become members of the
summer baseball nines. Their wishes had not been heeded. Captain Dale
and his fast players had been much in demand by the famous summer nines.
Some of them went to the Orange Athletic Club, others to Richfield Springs,
others to Cape May, and Dale himself had captained the Atlantic City team.

The action of the faculty was commended by the college magazine.
Even the students, though chafing under it, could not but acknowledge
its justice. The other universities had adopted such a rule, and Wayne
must fall in line. The objections to summer ball-playing were not few,
and the particular one was that it affected the amateur standing of
the college player. He became open to charges of professionalism. At
least, all his expenses were paid, and it was charged that usually he
was paid for his services.

Ken's first feeling when he learned this news was one of blank dismay.
The great varsity team wiped off the slate! How Place and Herne would
humble old Wayne this year! Then the long, hard schedule, embracing
thirty games, at least one with every good team in the East--how would
an untried green team fare against that formidable array? Then Ken
suddenly felt ashamed of a selfish glee, for he was now sure of a place
on the varsity.

For several days nothing else was talked about by the students. Whenever
Dale or his players appeared at Carlton Hall they were at once surrounded
by a sympathetic c