"Score! what score?"
"Oh, gee! I thought I was talking to a baseball fan."
"You thought wrong, young man," retorted the man, sharply. "I've no patience with such frivolous things."
And then William caught sight of Tommy. "Say," he called out, "what do you think of that score?"
Tommy, himself an enthusiast, studied it carefully. "Jersey City two, Toronto one," he said aloud, "and down we go to second place, William."
"Yes; and Jersey City putting us there! Say, that team of ours is certainly on the pork."
"Oh, they're not doing so badly; we're only a few points down."
"Only? What's the use? Every time they lick the good ones they fall down when they stack up against the tail-enders; it's rotten."
"Cheer up, William, cheer up! The team will soon be home for another long series, and then they'll soar."
"Yes," said William, gloomily, "to the bottom."