ng away. Near the door a man was taking
up tickets like a doorkeeper of a circus, and he kept shouting:
"Get your certificates from the doctor. Every player must pass a
physical examination. Get your certificates."

Ken turned somewhat in disgust at so much red tape and he jostled into
a little fellow, almost knocking him over.

"Wull! Why don't you fall all over me?" growled this amiable individual.
"For two cents I'd hand you one."

The apology on Ken's lips seemed to halt of its own accord.

"Sorry I haven't any change in these clothes," returned Ken. He saw a
wiry chap, older than he was, but much smaller, and of most aggressive
front. He had round staring eyes, a protruding jaw, and his mouth turned
down at the corners. He wore a disreputable uniform and a small green
cap over one ear.

"Aw! don't get funny!" he replied.

Ken moved away muttering to himself: "That fellow's a grouch." Much
to his amazement, when he got to the training-house, Ken found that he
could not get inside because so many players were there ahead of him.
After waiting an hour or more he decided he could not have his physical
examination at that time, and he went back to the cage. The wide door
was still blocked with players, but at the other end of the building
Ken found an entrance. He squeezed into a crowd of students and worked
forward until stopped by a railing.

Ken was all eyes and breathless with interest. The cage was a huge,
open, airy room, lighted by many windows, and, with the exception
of the platform where he stood, it was entirely enclosed by heavy
netting. The floor was of bare ground well raked and loosened to
make it soft. This immense hall was full of a motley crowd of
aspiring ball-players.

Worry Arthurs, with his head sunk in the collar of his overcoat, and
his shoulders hunched up as if he was about to spring upon something,
paced up and down the rear end of the cage. Behind him a hundred or
more players in line slowly marched toward the slab of rubber which
marked the batting position. Ken remembered that the celebrated coach
always tried out new players at the bat first. It was his belief that
batting won games.

"Bunt one and hit one!" he yelled to the batters.

From the pitcher's box a lanky individual was trying to locate the
plate. Ken did not need a second glance to see that this fellow was
no pitcher.

"Stop posin', and pitch!" yelled Arthurs.

One by one the batters faced the plate, swung valian