“Mice. Two of the cute little chaps sitting in the middle of the floor, eating some nuts that dropped out of my pocket. I stretched out on the bed without undressing when I came in from the dance, and must have fallen asleep, with the light burning. When I woke up I saw the mice staring at me, and I heaved my shoes at the beggars, for I’d taken ’em off—my shoes, I mean—when I came in, as my feet hurt from dancing so much. Then I doused the glim and turned in, for I knew you wouldn’t be along until daylight.”
“Why not?”
“Oh, I saw you going off with her. I admire your taste, old man, but it must be hard on Langridge.”
“It’s his own fault.”
“So I understand. I heard about it.”
“Um,” murmured Tom, for he did not want to talk about Miss Tyler and her affairs—at least not yet. There are some things that one likes to ponder over, and think about—all alone.
The game with Fairview was looked forward to with more than ordinary interest, for the season was about half over, and a partial estimate could be made of the chances for the championship. Up to this time the three teams in the league had been running nearly even, with Randall, if anything, a trifle in the lead, not so much regarding the number of games won, but counting form. In the last two weeks, however, Fairview and Boxer had been doing some hard work, and in games between those colleges Fairview had some the best of it. If, on the occasion that was approaching, Randall won, it would put her nine in the lead, and if, on the contrary, she lost it would mean that she would be the “tail-ender,” though only a few points behind Boxer, which would be second.
“We’ve just got to win!” declared Sid, one afternoon, following a severe game with the scrub, who had played the ’varsity to a tie in eleven innings.
“That’s right,” admitted the coach. “But I think we will. We have improved all around lately.”
This was true, more especially in the case of Langridge. Since the affair of the junior dance he had not spoken to Tom, and had taken pains to avoid him. But the ’varsity pitcher was certainly doing better work.