“Who’s going to win?” asked Joe, as they approached the grounds.
“We will, if——” and then Tom stopped suddenly, for there was a yell from inside the fence and a moment later a ball came sailing over it, straight toward the two lads.
“Look out!” yelled Tom. “That’s a hot one! Duck, Joe, duck!”
But Joe did not dodge. Instead, he spread his legs well apart and stood ready to catch the swiftly-moving horsehide in his bare hands.
CHAPTER II
TIEING THE SCORE
Ping! The ball came in between Joe’s palms with a vicious thud, but there it stuck, and a moment later the newcomer had tossed it back over the fence with certain and strong aim.
“I guess some one will pick it up,” he said.