"Whew; maybe that isn't a whopping long article!" cried Tom. "Not so bad, eh, Dave?"
"It's Benny Wilkins all over," chuckled the editor. "That chap has certainly boomed the circulation of the paper."
As a prophet Benny was in great favor. Now that his article had been accepted he became a most enthusiastic champion of the team, and his delight at each victory was only matched by his disappointment when defeat came to the earnestly-striving ball players.
"Never mind—they're going to get there just the same," he always asserted.
The games between the "Rambler Club's ball nine" and the "Hopes" attracted even more attention than those in the inter-scholastic series. Each was bitterly fought, the Somersites winning two and the "Hopes" one, with the fourth a tie.
Neither "Crackers" Brown nor Owen Lawrence would ever concede the superiority of the others, while big Earl Roycroft expressed the opinion that they were about as evenly matched as teams could be.
It was certainly a great year for baseball at the Kingswood High. With the school now solidly back of them, the nine continued to improve, and at the end of the season Mr. Rupert Barry was the first to shake Coach Steele and Bob Somers by the hand.
"Let me congratulate you," he said, heartily. "You have won not only the ball park and grand stand, but my highest esteem, as well."