The Boy Scouts at the Panama Canal

es, he knocked a beautiful homer into left field. It was a really fine drive. The Hampton contingent went wild. The faces of the Eagle su

ings, while Hampton scored two, so that, when the seventh inning began, things looked rather gloomy for the Sco

doubled efforts into his work but the score showed with how little success. At the beginning of the seventh, he told Capt

safely to first with Merritt hugging second. Tubby Hopkins once more struck out with the same cheerful grin on his round countenanc

. After a lot of posing which he thought gave him quite a professional air, Jared delivered t

ac

tt and Paul scored amidst tremendous enthusiasm; hats were thrown in the air. Thin

adly have allowed the others to score if he had only been able to shut

had deluded himself. The batter hit a fly to right field and was caught out. Merritt, summoning every ounce of resolution he could muster, struggled on ri

econd home run amidst yells of d

Hampton contingent was jubilant. Jared danced mockingl

g the eighth inning. The score was six to three in Hampton's favor. Things looked black, but with the true Scout spirit the lads of

gles made a change in pitchers. It was Rob, cool, self-confident and determined, who occupied the box. This fo

f pitchers denoted a crisis in the game for the Scouts. Rob faced the first batter without indulging in any of Jared Applegate's ant

the umpire a fracti

pitcher, was not to be relied on through a long game as was Merritt. Another thing he didn't know was that Rob had determined with a grim resol

as plain that those were just the kind of mi

parently without effort. But it

!" bellowed

b!" yelled

ee-ee!" shrill

look of hatred, oddly mixed with worry. Rob's pitc

like a high powered projectile burning up the

the call of Jared's

angry youth that

cks and drakes out of him, Jared?"

trying him out," gru

's pitching at all. The game began to lo

ted the crowd as Rob walked

Jared began to pitch with as good an imitation of Rob's speed

ll

so, went by in

out Sim in his

it and made a safe base hit to right field. Then came Hiram. He struck out. Jared and the Hamptoni

Then came Ernest Thompson, who drea

nd of applause. Jared looked positively bilious. He had actually been holding himself in r

e!" was

smiled easily. Jared's dislike of the boy at

hat looked like an easy pitch. Rob s

amptonites yelled an

ike

asey at the bat," snarled Ja

y, wavy curve. Rob swung with

ike

supporters. Their chances of

!" scoffed Jared, grinning a

t far-reaching voice. It was pregnant with meaning and Jared tu

ou mean?" he m

elled the crow

He made a wild fling. Rob trotted to fi

began to sit up and take renewed notice. A home run now would add four to the Scout score. Cou

gum in his capacious cheek and then, not noticing in the least the laughter and joki

y. Bring home the bac

with him," shouted

s eyes quizzic

e sneered; and then, "Oh, what I wo

His large eyes opened wide as if

ou've got any of those about you to-

to see it knock the disconcerting fat youth on the head. But it did no such thing. With a

yelled t

eld a hot liner

and their supporters, danci

ater and scored amidst loud cheering. Hot after him flashed Rob, with Sim

s hit. And now more like a steam roller the fat youth cavorted

shrieked the rauco

her and the Scouts

A rotund form sky-hooted across the home plate and then, tripping up, went rolling like a tub of butter into the arms of Rob and his team-mates. Tubby had made one

were his first words on being help

he delighted Scouts, dancing about the boy

out. Then the town team went to bat for i

even. Ham

lls. Maybe Rob was overconfident. Conners came next. Two strikes had been called on him, whe

hrew to first, Conners frantically struck at an imaginary ball, causing a roar of l

ws of defeat. The game was theirs but by so narrow

e all boundaries and surged

Home-run Tubby!"

egan a triumphal march around the field to the music of Andy Bowles' b

at I'd need it," he

n's players sneaking up behind a corner of the grand-stand which it was evident the crowd must pass in their march of victory. It was Jared Applegate. With him w

up to?" breathed Rob,

ooks as sneaky as a pol

ak in behind the grand-stand, while Jared stooped and picked up a heavy stone. As the crowd, with Tubby's rubicund countenance shinin

arm just as it was about to la

to exclaim, forcing Jared's a

amsay, both of whom had played in the

icking you won't forget

scene that was occurring so close to them. Rob dro

ef space of time Merritt was at his side. The strange youth who

e others, he addres

do you want?

lied Jared in a furious tone. He app

ur amiable friends along to help you in cas

n't know who you are except by name, but I'm not going to have you

u," flashed o

atmosphere become, and so capable of handling himself did the clean-living you

ld us he wanted to have it out with you Scouts. He invited us along. I'm not g

for instance," retor

re scared," s

say

t so. You're

ader of the Eagle Patrol abhorred, above all things, to be mixed up in a disgraceful s

e you, Jared," he said quietly, "but

ugh his clenched teeth, "and I'm going to pol

ease," said Rob, still with th

've given me

Rob would avoid a fistic discussion at all hazards. He de

ting out his jaw and stepping closer to the unmoved

you?" asked Rob, withou

whipped out

e lad in front of him. Rob merely stepped to one side. Jared almost lost his balance as

ward, eh?" cried

ike fighting, Jared, it's not gentlemanly and it's not a Sco

f, for the Scouts had many friendly sparring bouts with the gloves. The noble art of self-defens

. Both boys stood ready to defend themselves, and, while the shouts of the crowd bearing Tubby