Batting to Win: A Story of College Baseball, Page 2

  CHAPTER II

  SID IS CAUGHT

  "It's this way," began Holly, as he crossed one leg over, and claspedhis hands under his recumbent head. "Randall has been looking up inathletics lately. Since we did so well last season on the diamond, andwon the championship at football, some of the old grads and men who havesuch 'oodles' of money that they don't know what to do with it, have akindlier feeling for the old college. It's that which brought about thepresentation of the loving cup trophy, or, rather the offer of it to thewinner of the baseball championship of the Tonoka Lake League. The cupwill be worth winning, so the doctor says."

  "How'd he come to tell you?" asked Phil.

  "I happened to go to his study to consult him about some of mystudies----" began Holly.

  "Yes you did!" exclaimed Tom disbelievingly.

  "You went there because Proc. Zane made you!" declared Phil.

  "Well, no matter, if you can't take a gentleman's word for it," saidHolly, with an assumed injured air. "Anyhow, I was in the doctor'soffice, and he had just received a letter from some old grad, honorarydegree man, offering the gold cup. Doc asked me if I thought the boyswould like to play for it. Has to be won two out of three times beforeany college can keep it. I told him we'd play for it with bells on!"

  "Of course!" agreed Tom and Phil.

  "Now, about the team for this spring?" resumed Holly. "You're captain,Tom, but we've got to elect a manager soon, and we'd better begintalking about it," and then the trio launched into a rapid-fire talk onbaseball and matters of the diamond.

  The three youths were sophomores in Randall College, a well-knowninstitution located near the town of Haddonfield, in one of our MiddleWestern States. The college proper was on the shore of Sunny River, notfar from Lake Tonoka; and within comparative short distance of Randallwere two other colleges. One was Boxer Hall, and the other FairviewInstitute--the latter a co-educational institution. The three, togetherwith some other near-by colleges and schools, formed what was called theTonoka Lake Athletic League, and there were championship games ofbaseball, football, tennis, hockey, golf, and other forms of sport.

  Those of you who have read the previous volumes of this "College SportsSeries" need little if any introduction to the characters who haveheld the stage in my opening chapter. Others may care for a formalintroduction, which I am happy to give them.

  In the first book, called "The Rival Pitchers," there was told of theefforts Tom Parsons made to gain the place as "twirler" on the 'varsitynine. Tom was a farmer's son, in moderate circumstances, and had come toRandall from Northville. Almost at once he got into conflict with FredLangridge, a rich student, who was manager of the 'varsity ball nine,and also its pitcher, and who resented Tom's efforts to "make" the nine.After much snubbing on the part of Langridge, and not a few unpleasantexperiences Tom got his chance. Eventually he supplanted Langridge, whowould not train properly, and who smoked, drank and gambled, thinkinghimself a "sport."

  Tom soon became one of the most liked of the sporting crowd, and theespecial friend of Phil Clinton and Sidney Henderson, with whom he hadroomed for the last term. The three were now called the "inseparables."In the first book several thrilling games were told of, also how Randallwon the championship after a hard struggle with Boxer and Fairview, inwhich games Tom Parsons fairly "pitched his head off," to quote HollyCross, who was an expert on diamond slang. Langridge did his best toinjure Tom, and nearly succeeded, but the pitcher had many friends,besides his two special chums, among them being Holly Cross, BricktopMolloy, Billy or "Dutch" Housenlager, who was full of horseplay, "Snail"Looper, so called from his ability to move with exceeding slowness, andhis liking for night prowlings.

  Then there was Pete Backus, known as "Grasshopper," from his desire, butinability, to shine as a high and broad distance jumper; "Bean" Perkins,a "shouter" much depended on in games, when he led the cheering; DanWoodhouse, called Kindlings, and Jerry and Joe Jackson, known as the"Jersey Twins."

  Of course, Tom and his two chums had many other friends whom you willmeet from time to time. Sufficient to say that he "made good" in theeyes of the coach, Mr. Leighton, and was booked not only to pitch on the'varsity again, but he had been elected captain, just before the presentstory opens.

  Phil Clinton was the hero of my second volume, a story of collegefootball, entitled "A Quarter Back's Pluck." Phil was named for quarterback on the 'varsity eleven, but, for a time it looked as if he would beout of the most important games. His mother was very ill in Florida, indanger of death from a delicate operation, and Phil, and his sister RuthClinton (who attended Fairview Institute) were under a great nervousstrain.

  Langridge, seeing that Tom was beyond his vengeance, tried his tricks onPhil. Together with Garvey Gerhart, a freshman, Langridge planned tokeep Phil out of an important game. They "doctored" a bottle of linimenthe used, but this trick failed. Then they planned to send him, justbefore an important contest, a telegram, stating that his mother wasdying. They figured that he would not play and that Randall would losethe contest--both Gerhart and Langridge being willing to thus play thetraitor to be revenged on the coach and captain of the eleven.

  But, with characteristic pluck, Phil went into the game, stuffing thefake telegram in his pocket, and playing like a Trojan, even though hebelieved his mother was dying. It was pluck personified. After aidinghis fellows to win the championship, Phil hurried off the field, to goto Florida to his mother. Then, for the first time, he learned that themessage he had received was a "fake"--for his mother was on the road torecovery as stated in a telegram his sister Ruth had received.

  Of course the trick Langridge and Gerhart played was found out, and theyboth left Randall quietly, so that the name of the college might not bedisgraced.

  But though Tom, Phil, Sid and their chums lived a strenuous life whensports were in the ascendency, that does not mean that they had no timefor the lighter side of life. There were girls at Fairview--pretty girlsand many of them. One, in particular--Madge Tyler--seemed to fit Tom'sfancy, and he and she grew to be very friendly. Perhaps that was becauseTom had rather supplanted Langridge in the eyes of Miss Tyler, who hadbeen to many affairs with him, before she knew his true character. Thenthere was Ruth Clinton, Phil's sister. After meeting her Tom was ratherwavering in his attachment toward Miss Tyler, but matters straightenedthemselves out, for Phil and Miss Tyler seemed to "hit it off," to oncemore quote Holly Cross, though for a time there was a little coldnessbetween Tom and Phil on this same girl question. When this story opens,however, Tom considered himself cheated if he did not see Ruth at leasttwice a week, and as for Phil, he and Miss Tyler--but there, I'm notgoing to be needlessly cruel.

  To complete the description of life at Randall I might mention that Dr.Albertus Churchill, sometimes called "Moses," was the venerable andwell-beloved head of the institution, and that as much as he was reveredso much was Mr. Andrew Zane, the proctor, disliked; for, be it known,the proctor did not always take fair advantage of the youths, and he wasfond of having them "upon the carpet," or, in other words, before Dr.Churchill for admonition about certain infractions of the rules.Another character, little liked, was Professor Emerson Tines, dubbed"pitchfork," by his enemies, and they were legion.

  I believe that is all--no, to give you a complete picture of life atRandall I must mention that Sidney Henderson, the third member ofthe "inseparables" was a woman hater--a misogynist--an anchorite--adub--almost anything along that line that his chums could think to callhim. He abhorred young ladies--or he thought he did--and he and Tom andPhil were continually at variance on this question, and that of havinggirls' photographs in the common study. But of that more later.

  With Holly stretched out on the old sofa, and Phil and Tom in varioustangled attitudes in chairs--Phil in the depths of the ancient one--thetalk of baseball progressed.

  "Yes, we must have an election for manager soon," conceded Tom. "Butfirst I want to see what sort of a team I'm going to have. We needoutdoor practice, but if this rotten weather keeps
up----"

  "Hark! I think I hear the rain stopping," exclaimed Phil.

  "Stop nothing," declared Holly. "It's only catching its breath foranother deluge." And it did seem so, for, presently, there came a louderpatter than ever, of drops on the tin gutter.

  "Well, guess I'd better be moving," announced Holly, after another spasmof talk. "What time is it by your town clock, anyhow?" and he shied abook at the alarm timepiece so that the face of it would be slewedaround in his direction, giving him a peep at it without obliging him toget up.

  "Here! What are you trying to do?" demanded Tom. "Do you want to breakthe works, and stop it?"

  "Impossible, my dear boy," said Holly lazily. "Just turn it around forme, will you, like a good fellow. I don't see how I missed it. I mustpractice throwing, or I won't be any good when the ball season opens.Give me another shot?" and he raised a second volume.

  "Quit!" cried Tom, interposing his arm in front of the fussy littleclock.

  "That calls us to our morning duties," added Phil, adding in a sing-songvoice: "Oh, vandal, spare that clock, touch not a single hand, forsurely it doth keep the time the worst in all the land."

  "Fierce," announced Holly, closing his eyes and pretending to breathehard. "It tells you how much longer you can sleep in the morning, Iguess you mean," he went on. "The three of you were late for chapel thisa. m."

  "That's because Sid monkeyed with the regulator," insisted Tom. "Hethought he could improve it. But, say, it is getting late. Nearly ten."

  "And Sid isn't back yet," went on Phil.

  "My bedtime, anyhow," came from Holly, as he slid from the sofa, andglided from the room. "So long. Sid wants to look out or he'll becaught. Proc. Zane has a new book, and he wants to get some of thesporting crowd down in it. See you in the dewy morn, gents," and he wasgone.

  "Sid _is_ late," murmured Tom, as he began to prepare for bed. "Shall weleave a light for him?"

  "Nope. Too risky," decided Phil. "No use of us all being hauled up. Butmaybe he's back, and is in some of the rooms. He's got ten minutes yet."

  But the ten minutes passed, and ten more, and Sid did not come back.Meanwhile Tom and Phil had "doused their glim," and were in bed, but notasleep. Somehow there was an uneasy feeling worrying them both. Theycould not understand Sid's action in going off so suddenly, and somysteriously--especially as there was a danger of being caught out afterhours. And, as Sid was working for honors, to be caught too often meantthe danger of losing that for which he had worked so hard.

  "I can't understand----" began Tom, in a low voice, when from the chapelclock, the hour of eleven boomed out.

  "Hush!" exclaimed Phil.

  Some one was coming along the corridor--two persons to judge by thefootsteps.

  "Is that Sid?" whispered Tom.

  Phil did not answer. A moment later the door opened, and in the lightthat streamed from a lamp in the corridor, Sid could be seen entering.Behind him stood Proctor Zane.

  "You will report to Dr. Churchill directly after chapel in the morning,"the proctor said, in his hard, cold voice. "You were out an hour afterclosing time, Mr. Henderson."

  "Very well, sir," answered Sid quietly, as he closed the door, andlistened to Mr. Zane walking down the corridor.

  "Caught?" asked Tom, though there was no need of the query.

  "Sure," replied Sid shortly.

  "Where were you?" asked Phil, sitting up in bed, and trying to peerthrough the darkness toward his unfortunate chum.

  "Out," was the answer, which was none at all.

  "Humph!" grunted Tom. Then, suddenly: "You must have been hitting it up,Sid. I thought you didn't smoke. Been trying it for the first time?"

  "I haven't been smoking!" came the answer, in evident surprise.

  "Your clothes smell as if you'd been at the smoker of the Gamma Sigfraternity," declared Tom.

  "Oh, shut up, and let a fellow alone; can't you?" burst out Sid, and hethrew his shoes savagely into the corner of the room. Neither Tom norPhil replied, but they were doing a great deal of thinking. They couldnot fathom Sid's manner--he had never acted that way before. What couldbe the matter? It was some time before they learned Sid's secret, andthe keeping of it involved Sid in no small difficulties, and nearly costthe college the baseball championship.