Mr. Montgomery Jadell was the principal of the Lakeport school. He was a fussy old gentleman, who wore a high, silk hat on all occasions and big, gold-rimmed spectacles. Only a few of his pupils liked him, and the majority of the lads spoke of him as Old Stovepipe behind his back. He was a bachelor and had a maiden sister named Angelina who kept house for him.
"Old Stovepipe is going to walk right across the ball field," came from Paul. "Guess he is in a hurry to get home." And evidently the schoolmaster was in a hurry for he scarcely gave the boys a look as he passed those in the outfield.
Harry let one ball pass him and then the sphere came in just where he wished it. Taking a step forward he swung around the bat with vigor. There was a sharp crack! and away flew the ball over the pitcher's head and out toward centerfield.
"Hi! hi! look out!" yelled several voices at once, and the player in centerfield started to catch the ball. But before he could do so, it landed fairly and squarely on the school principal's high hat, crushing in the top of the silk tile and sending Mr. Montgomery Jadell flat on his back on the grassy field.
CHAPTER II.
HARRY GETS INTO DIFFICULTY.
"Gracious, Harry, that's the time you did it!"
"Old Stovepipe's hat is ruined forever!"
"I'll bet he's madder than a nest of hornets!"
So the talk ran on, as Harry cast away the bat and hurried down into the field. In the meantime Mr. Montgomery Jadell had scrambled up and was bending down looking for his spectacles, which had fallen off.