The Rival Pitchers

'em!" was the rallying c

er! Don't let them get away wit

d Kerr and some others who had remained behind to manage the rope, threw themselves into the fray. Their help turned t

apper, Langridge?" c

ssed produced the unwieldy sou

nt on Kerr. "They'll not give up yet. We'

ession, while the others brought up the rear, a guard against a possible unexpected attack. But n

ent had somewhat calmed down, "I wonder if I'd better report to the

or, won't want to be disturbed. Besides, I rather think that Dr. Churchill, our venerable and resp

y n

but you can bet they do know. They pretend not to, and take no notice of it. If you were to go and ring Moses up at this hour, he'd have to

Mos

t's

-why M

ame. Church and hill. Moses went up on a hill

" answered Tom, "even if

rom Northville, wher

's ri

if I were you-especially when

y n

me-I understand, but they might mak

ing 'rigged,' as you call it. I fancy I

your funeral. I

o go right to your room, and bunk, without tellin

'll go to my room. There may b

ow

lapper back. They generally do. We'll

hat do you fellows do wit

bout the w

added. "That was a

dark. I guess What's-his-name could have

mean La

at his

got lots of dough, and the fellows hang aro

e

he's willing to spend some of

at's whit

ght to bow down to him more than we do. But I won't, and I guess Kerr is getting sick of him. Some fellow

's K

e black hair. He's

s

asked Henderson as they ente

o. Is there

ave a meeting to-morrow, or next day, and try out candidates.

een pit

tered a low,

s the

lace. He thinks he's a re

"But if you don't mind, I'm going to take off my s

ere coming. Guess I'll turn in. I've got to get up early and d

rather

made, as he prepared for be

o gain knowledge, to fit himself for a place in life, and he earnestly wanted to learn. At the same time he did not belong to the class known as "digs." Tom was a sport-loving lad, and it

hen it clung about his bronzed forehead in little brown ringlets, he was an attractive figure

n on the bars, or with dumbbells, while on the flying rings, or a

nd in a stubble field, with stones for bases, and a hickory club for a bat. But Tom had a natural bent toward pitching, and he gradually developed it, principally by his own unaided efforts, t

er was fairly well-to-do, and had a large acreage in the town of Northville. T

ed. He furnished part of the money, and the rest Tom supplied himself, for he was an independent sort of lad, and thou

ation of circumstances, you have been duly informed. He made two resolutions before coming.

the night, when he was in the little room with the lad who was to be his chum, he felt a bit lonely. It was new and strange to him, and he thought, not without a bit of regret, of the

ittle room that was to be his

There was a sufficiency, and that was all. Of course, there was nothing to prevent the students from adding such articles

oor showed through it in several places. But Sid remarked that it was a virtue rather than otherwise, for it obviated

w much mud they bring in," Sid had sai

set did not contain it all, for many articles overflowed into the room, and no amount of compression sufficed to get things entirely within the closet. There was always something sticking out. Several old chairs, one a lounging one with a broken set of springs

the night was undisturbed by further pranks. At chapel next morning Dr. Churchill, after the usual devotions, announced with a twi

resident, "and-er-well, ahem! I think matters may take their

hat the freshmen would meet, make up by contributions enough to buy a new clapper, an

class, called a meeting that afternoon, the amount needed wa

n Tines, the Latin instructor (dubbed "Pitchfork" by the col

he president when Langri

it to it, Pro

u encou

imply ig

er is taken ye

ed by the janitor, but, you know, of my own knowledge I am not aware of

know that the clapper is ta

th a smile, "but I'm not going to admit it.

Latin teacher as he we

ther, I'm afraid," murmured Dr. Churchill, as he r

roctor, and was properly enrolled on the college books. He was assigned

d of Tom that afternoon, as the

ng w

meeting. Didn't y

N

nasium, stating that all interested in the baseball nine, whether as players

'm going," d

dents. There was talk of nothing save bases, balls, strikes, sacrifices, bunts, home runs, fielding, pitching, catching, and what-not. La

up in front of a throng did not embarrass him. "I hope, as manager as well as a player," he went on, "that we shall find some good material. The team needs strengthening in several pl

ns, listening to it, began to wonder if

ke to put their names down as candida

names were noted, together with t

," urged

advanced to wher

try for a pla

voice was evident. "Well, don't you think you'd better wa

ding a small pocket one. "Maybe you'll give

ried Phil Clinton. "That's the ti

d-naturedly, but th

, and the other turned aside. The countr

owled Langridge, thoug

Par

you want t

tch

on in the room, but it

exclaimed

her," replie

narled Langridge. "That is, I was last year and exp

" spoke Tom, smil

as a look that boded Tom no good, for the former pitch

id. "You might get a sore arm

nced quickly

ly-more quietly than any one expected

e ans

course, it's understood that no one plays on the team who doesn't co

ew out a wallet, none too well fi

x?" he asked,

nds to that," was the answer Langr

xpected so ready a com

we adjourn," suggested Ed Kerr. "

ad came hurrying i

ridge?" he as

the baseball man

he sophs are going to try it on to-night, to get

hil Clinton. "Now we'll get

slashing my hat," added For

not learned, as the boys rushed from the room to