Mystery Wings
here is Burt Standish! He's
n rompers, short dresses and knickers. Now she was sixteen. Her bright orange sweater and skirt of brilliant blue somehow matched her sharply turned-up nose and freckled cheeks. Meg was real. Johnny thought her the realest girl he had ever known. "Not soft," was
smiled at her he said, "Burt Standish
y do you say that? I just heard we were
h about that as-well, as anyone, except Colonel C
st you watch our smoke!" Seizing a megaph
her lithe young body swayed in rhythmic mo
Yea! Team!
beside him on the grass, Johnny repeat
him a sharp look.
did not
lonel Chamberlain, who had just com
er as Johnny reached his side. "It's a tough br
Johnny
. That's what our star pitcher prefers to be known by-just the plain letter 'J.' And, as I
eenly disappointed. "'Fraid
." The Colonel's voice dropped. "Just tell the boy
his ancestors. He loved it for that and for other reasons. The people who lived here stood for certain things-that is, most of them did. They were honest, or at least as honest as they knew how to be. They were kind to the unfortunate. They believe
oug Danby, the captain. "The Colonel just told
re?" Doug's
st have to make the best of it. And-" hi
words were on Johnny's l
o his place. "Our star pitcher will not be he
ous Chinaman!" Meg scoffed
er there could be any connection between the mysterious little Chinaman and the failure of their star
tart. With her bright sweater thrown carelessly upon the ground, shapely brown arms
Fred Frame, their regular pitcher, whose arm had a mean way of going back on him
ead doggedly until the fifth. In the sixth they slipped. Three run
eizing his arm to steady herself for a moment, whispered hoarsely, "
t Doug Danby, captain of the Hillcre
ug! Doug!" Meggy was awa
eighth found Hillcre
to win!" Meggy was
y soberly, "we'r
ou say that? We'r
." Johnny's f
ter. "Just because that little Chinaman said it. And how co
ing a megaphone, once again she spra
hoped with all his heart that his
gy screamed. "Of
of the opposing pitcher gleamed as he
ike
ike
omed, and Hillcrest's star batter wen
the home players took their places
ls went wild. The short, stocky cat
rik
rik
ful. Vain hope! The
your
self. One man went down swinging. The
y was silent. Why did he believe in that litt
to second. Francois will get him!" For a sp
t Roger muffed it. The hard-thrown ball rolled far into center field. The runner went on to third. Four more wild ones and a batter went to
t took but one score to tie, and two to win. But those scores never came. They we
at that instant he resolved that Colonel Chamberlain's star pitcher should be in the
n a strange way, whispered,
nny replied hoars
e Chinaman approaching and did n
e diminutive Tao Sin
dford think too. You are good friend of Wung Lu." Once again his voice dropped. "Monday I show you picture of
all about? He had to know. He would be at Whong