“Yes; our boys trimmed those fellows to-day.”

Raybold lifted his eyebrows.

“Do you mean to tell me that a local team defeated Merriwell’s team?”

“Sure thing. I tell you, we’ve got the hottest team in Ohio right here in Elkton.”

“You must have a hot team to beat those fellows. I’ve seen them play. They got away with the Chicagos two out of three games in Los Angeles.”

“Well, I rather think our boys might do better than that,” said the clerk, throwing out his chest.

Raybold smiled a bit.

“Many queer things happen in baseball,” he said. “Your team is not a straight local nine?”

“Oh, no,” was the proud answer. “We’ve got a salaried team. That is,” he hastily added, “three men are on salary. The others are employed in town. One of them is a bell boy here in this hotel.”

The Northern Securities man shook his head in a puzzled manner.