rowd. If it was a bitter blow to the undergraduates,
what was it to the members of the varsity? Their feeling showed in pale,
stern faces. It was reported about the campus that Murray and Arthurs
and Dale, with the whole team, went to the directors of the athletic
faculty and besought them to change or modify the decision. Both the
trainer and the coach, who had brought such glory to the university,
threatened to resign their places. The disgrace of a pitiably weak
team of freshmen being annihilated by minor colleges was eloquently
put before the directors. But the decision was final.

One evening early in February Worry Arthurs called upon Ken. His face
was long, and his mustache drooped.

"Kid, what do you think of 'em fat-heads on the faculty queerin' my
team?" he asked. "Best team I ever developed. Say, but the way they
could work the hit-and-run game! Any man on the team could hit to
right field when there was a runner goin' down from first."

"Maybe things will turn out all right," suggested Ken, hopefully.

Worry regarded his youthful sympathizer with scorn.

"It takes two years to teach most college kids the rudiments of baseball.
Look at this year's schedule." Worry produced a card and waved it at Ken.
"The hardest schedule Wayne ever had! And I've got to play a kid team."

Ken was afraid to utter any more of his hopes, and indeed he felt them
to be visionary.

"The call for candidates goes out to-morrow," went on the coach. "I'll
bet there'll be a mob at the cage. Every fool kid in the university will
think he's sure of a place. Now, Ward, what have you played?"

"Everywhere; but infield mostly."

"Every kid has played the whole game. What position have you played most?"

"Third base."

"Good! You've the arm for that. Well, I'm anxious to see you work,
but don't exert yourself in the cage. This is a tip. See! I'll be
busy weedin' out the bunch, and won't have time until we get out on
the field. You can run around the track every day, get your wind and
your legs right, hold in on your arm. The cage is cold. I've seen many
a good wing go to the bad there. But your chance looks good. College
baseball is different from any other kind. You might say it's played
with the heart. I've seen youngsters go in through grit and spirit,
love of playin' for their college, and beat out fellows who were their
superiors physically. Well, good-night.... Say, there's one more thing.
I forgot it. Are you up in your sub