"And get fired?" he asked glumly. "Oh, sure!"
"You won't be fired! Why, it's almost the end of school!"
Horace was silent a moment, his gaze on the diamond where the Hammond second baseman was picking himself up from the ground in a successful effort to head off Post at the plate.
"Look here, Harry," he said finally, "do you really think Roy kept quiet so that I could stay in the race? Honest injun?"
"I know he did! Chub and Jack will tell you the same thing! Honest and honest, Horace!"
There was another moment of hesitation. Then Horace squared his shoulders, laughed carelessly and turned away.
"All right, Harry," he said. "Lead me to the slaughter!"
"You go into the box," said Chub to Kirby, "and for goodness sake hold 'em down, old man! Post, you go out to center, will you? Who've we got for first, sir?"
And Chub turned in perplexity to Mr. Cobb.