Batting to Win Part 4

The team, of which Tom was just then the temporary captain, won by a small margin, and then followed some coaching instructions from Mr.

Leighton.

"That will do for to-day," he said. "Be at it again to-morrow, and we'll soon be in shape."

The players and their admirers--lads who had not made the team--strolled off the diamond. Tom, walking along with Phil and Sid, suddenly put his hand in his pocket.

"Just my luck!" he exclaimed.

"What's the matter?" asked Phil.

"I'm broke," was the answer, "and I want to get a new s.h.i.+rt. Phil, lend me a couple of dollars. I'll get my check from dad to-morrow."

"I'm in the same boat, old man," was the rueful reply. "Tackle Sid here, I saw him with a bunch of money yesterday. He can't have spent it all since, for he isn't in love."

"Just the thing," a.s.sented Tom. "Fork over a couple of bones, Sid. I'll let you have it directly."

"I--er--I'm sorry," fairly stammered the second baseman, for that was the position Tom had picked out for his chum, "I haven't but fifty cents until I get my allowance, or until----" and he stopped suddenly.

"Wow!" cried Phil. "You must have slathered it away last night then, when you were out, for I saw you with a bundle----"

Then he stopped, for he saw a queer look come over Sid's face. The second baseman blushed, and was about to make reply, when Phil remarked:

"I beg your pardon, Sid. I hadn't any right to make that crack. Of course I--er--you understand--er--I----"

"That's all right," said Sid quickly. "I was a little flush yesterday, but I had a sudden demand on me, Tom, and----"

"Don't mention it!" interrupted Tom. "I dare say I can get trusted at Ballman's for a s.h.i.+rt. I'm going out to-night, or I wouldn't need a clean one, and my duds haven't come back from the laundry."

"I didn't know my sister was going out to-night," fired Phil, for Tom had been rather "rus.h.i.+ng" Ruth Clinton of late, "rus.h.i.+ng" being the college term for accompanying a young lady to functions.

"I guess she doesn't have to ask you," retorted the captain. "But I understood you and Miss Tyler----"

"Speak of trolley cars, and you'll hear the gong," put in Sid suddenly.

"I believe your two affinities are now approaching."

"By Jove, he's right!" exclaimed Phil, looking across the green campus.

"There's Ruth, and Madge Tyler is with her. I didn't know Ruth was coming over from Fairview."

"And they've got a friend with them--there are three girls," said Tom quickly. "Sid, you're right in it. There's one for you."

"Not on your life!" cried the tall and good-looking second baseman.

"I've got an important engagement," and he would have fled had not Tom and Phil seized and held him, despite his struggles, until Miss Ruth Clinton, Miss Madge Tyler and the third young lady approached. Whereat, seeing that his struggle to escape was futile, as well as undignified, Sid gave it up.

"h.e.l.lo, Ruth!" cried Phil good-naturedly to his sister, but his eyes sought those of Madge Tyler. "How'd you get here?"

"Trolley," was the demure answer. "I'm going to the Phi Beta theatrical with Mr. Parsons to-night, and I thought I'd save him the trouble of coming for me. Madge and I are staying in Haddonfield with friends of Miss Harrison."

"Good!" cried Tom, as he moved closer to Phil's pretty sister, while, somehow, Phil and Madge seemed to drift together.

"Oh, I almost forgot, you don't know Mabel, do you, boys?" asked Madge, with a merry laugh. "Miss Mabel Harrison. Mabel, allow me to present to you Tom Parsons, champion pitcher of the Randall 'varsity nine; Phil Clinton, who made such a good showing on the gridiron last year, he's Ruth's brother, you know, and----" she paused as she turned to Sid Henderson, who was moving about uncomfortably.

"Sid Henderson, the only and original misogynist of Randall college,"

finished Tom, with a mischievous laugh. "He is the only one in captivity, but will eat from your hand."

"I'll fix you for that," growled Sid in Tom's ear, but the girls laughed, as did Phil and the captain, and the introductions were completed. Miss Harrison proved to be an exceptionally pretty and vivacious girl, a fit companion for Ruth and Madge. She was fond of sport, as she soon announced, and Phil and Tom warmed to her at once.

As might have been expected, Tom walked along with Ruth, Phil with Miss Tyler, and that left Sid nothing to do but to stroll at the side of Miss Harrison.

"So you play ball, too," she began as an opener, looking at his uniform.

"Yes--er--that is I play at it, sometimes," floundered Sid, conscious of a big green gra.s.s stain on one leg, where he had fallen in reaching for a high fly.

"Isn't it great!" went on the girl, her blue eyes flas.h.i.+ng as she glanced up at Sid. Somehow the lad's heart was beating strangely.

"It's the only game--except football," he conceded. "Do you play--I--er--I mean--of course----"

"Oh, I just love football!" she cried. "I hope our team wins the champions.h.i.+p this year!"

"Your team?" and Sid was plainly puzzled.

"Well, I mean the boys of Fairview--I attend there you know."

"I didn't know it, but I'm glad to," spoke Sid, wondering why he never before thought blue eyes pretty. "Do you live at the college?"

"Oh, yes; but you see I happened to come to Haddonfield to stay over night with relatives, and when I found Madge and Ruth were going to a little affair here to-night, I asked them to stay with me. It's such a jaunt back to the college."

"Indeed it is," agreed Sid. "You and Miss Tyler and Miss Clinton are great friends, I judge," he went on, wondering what his next sentence would be.

"Indeed we are. Aren't they perfectly sweet girls?"

"Fine!" exclaimed Sid with such enthusiasm that his companion looked at him in some surprise, her flas.h.i.+ng eyes completing the work already begun by their first glance.

"I thought you didn't care for--that is--was that true what Mr. Parsons accused you of?" Miss Harrison asked. "Is a misogynist a very savage creature?" she went on demurely.

"That's all rot--I beg your pardon--they were rigging you--I--er--I mean--Oh, I say, Miss Harrison, are you going to the Phi Beta racket to-night--I mean the theatricals to-night?" and poor Sid floundered in deeper and deeper.

"No," answered the girl, "I'm not going."

"Why not?" asked Sid desperately.

"Because I haven't been asked, I suppose," and she laughed merrily.

"Then would you mind--that is--I have two tickets--but I didn't expect to go. Now, if you would----"

"Oh, Mr. Henderson, don't go on my account!"

"Oh, it isn't on your account--I mean--that is--Oh, wouldn't you like to go?" and he seemed in great distress.

"I should love to," she almost whispered.