House spent the evening discussing what was going to happen to-morrow when their crippled team met Day. But there was a more hopeful tone apparent and the fellows who had condemned Ben in the first flush of disappointment now acknowledged that he had done the square thing.
“It took a lot of pluck to do what Ben did,” declared Steve Lovell, “and I guess if it had been me I’d have flunked it. And, anyhow, whether we win or we lose, we’ve got the whitest fellow in school for captain. Besides, winning games isn’t everything, I guess.”
XXII
“TOOTS” HAS A TREAT
“Where are you going, Kid?” called Nan from the side porch the next morning.
Kid, half-way down the drive, turned, waved a hand and replied importantly: “To the village to buy balls. Ben just found we only had three. Want to come along?”
Nan shook her head. “I can’t. I wish I could. Kid, are we going to get beaten this afternoon?”
“Beaten! I should say not! Why, I’m going to play in right field!” And Kid grinned broadly.
“If we do they’ll take our trophy off with them, Kid. Won’t that be awful?”
“Fierce, but they won’t do it! You wait, Nan. We’ll lick ’em to smithereens; they haven’t got a chance!” And Kid went on, whistling blithely.