The school nine battled against the scrub, too, and though Joe improved in his pitching so did the members of the first team in their batting, so that there were no other contests as close as the first one.
The time for the first Morningside game was approaching. It was the first regular contest of the season and as such was always quite an affair. This time it was to be played on the Morningside diamond, and Luke and Hiram were bending every effort to win the game.
The nine picked to play was practically the same as the one that played the first game against the scrub. There had been some shifts, and then shifts back again, and under the urging of the coach, the captain and the manager, the lads had improved very much.
The day of the first game came. In special cars or in stage coaches, for those who preferred that method of locomotion, while some of the more wealthy lads hired autos, the nine and its supporters made their way to Morningside. Hiram, Luke and a few of their cronies went in a big touring car that Spencer Trusdell, a millionaire’s son, owned.
“Some class to them,” remarked Joe, as he and Tom with a squad of the scrub and substitutes, got aboard a trolley car.
“They may have to walk back,” predicted Tommy Barton, one of the scrub.
“Why?” asked Joe.
“Spencer may not have money enough left to buy gasolene. He’s a sport, you know, and always betting.”
“Well, he’ll bet on his own nine; won’t he?”
“Oh, yes—but——” and Tommy paused significantly.