“Yes, she told me the same thing, Jack, and it was nice of Molly to say it, for you know she’s the prettiest girl in Chester, and a dozen boys are always hanging around her. Yes, I’d be a fool not to do myself proud tomorrow, with so many of my friends looking on; though of course any fellow might run into a bit of bad judgment and make a foozle, when he’d give five years of his life to work like a machine. I’m hoping, and praying, too, Jack, that such a streak of bad luck won’t come my way, that’s all I can say. Here’s where I leave you, if you’re bound for Jennings’ place. If it’s my promise to do my level best tomorrow you want, Jack, you’ve got it!”
So they parted. Still, Jack was not altogether easy in his mind. He went over every little incident of their recent intercourse as they trudged along side by side; and wondered whether Fred, who was not very well known to him, could be deceiving him. He cudgeled his brain to understand what those strange actions of the third baseman could mean, and who that sporty looking individual, whom he had with his own eyes seen talking so mysteriously to Fred might be.
CHAPTER IV
WHEN CHESTER AWAKENED
“Did you ever see such an enormous crowd?”
“Beats everything that ever happened around Chester all hollow!”
“Talk to me about excitement, the old town has gone stark, staring crazy over baseball; and it’s all owing to Jack Winters coming to Chester, and shaking the dry bones of what used to be a Sleepy Hollow place.”
“Right you are, Pete, and this is only a beginning of the glorious things scheduled to happen within the next six months or so. Already there’s great talk about a football eleven that will clean up things in this neighborhood. We’ve got the right sort of stuff to make up a strong team, too, remember.”
“And, Oliver, when I hear them speak of ice hockey, and skating for prizes, it gives me a heap of satisfaction, for you know I’m a crank on winter sports. Because the boys of Chester didn’t seem to enthuse over such things has been the grief of my heart. But this day was certainly made for a thrilling baseball game.”
“Oh! the sky looks blue enough, and that sun is some hot, I admit, but somehow I don’t exactly like the looks of yonder bank of clouds that keeps hanging low-down close to the horizon in the southwest. We get most of our big storms from that quarter, don’t forget.”