"You don't mean to say he can pitch any better than Jack!" put in Ruth quickly.
"Oh, I'm not saying anything against Jack," answered Fred. "Just the same, Dink's a great pitcher, and Jack will say so himself."
"He certainly is," was the reply from the oldest Rover boy. "He'll be on one of the professional teams one of these days. If Longley Academy has any such pitcher in Tommy Flanders, we've got our work cut out for us."
Most of the boys and girls went on to where the automobiles were in waiting, but Jack kept to the rear until the whole crowd were out of hearing.
"Now, then, Ruth, tell me what is troubling you," he said in a low voice.
"Oh, Jack, I don't believe I ought to tell you! I should have torn it up and forgotten all about it," returned the girl.
"Torn it up? What do you mean? Was it a letter?"
"Yes, a letter that came yesterday. It is nothing but a scrawl, and it's unsigned. It was sent from New York."
"What did the letter say? Did somebody threaten you, Ruth?"
"No, Jack. Somebody threatened you. If it hadn't been for that, I wouldn't think of bothering you about it."