do you take me for? I'd like to see the guy who can beat me out of
my place next season."
This brought another hearty cheer.
Further questioning made clear that all the varsity except Homans,
Blake, and McCord would surely return to college.
"Fine! Fine! Fine!" exclaimed Worry.
Then he began to question each player as to what he intended to
do through the summer months, and asked him to promise not to play
ball on any summer nines.
"Peg, you're the one I'm scared about," said Worry, earnestly. "These
crack teams at the seashore and in the mountains will be hot after you.
They've got coin too, Peg, and they'll spend it to get you."
"All I've got to say is they'll waste their breath talking to me,"
replied Ken, with a short laugh.
"What are you goin' to do all summer?" asked Worry, curiously.
"Where will you be?"
"I expect to go to Arizona."
"Arizona? What in the deuce are you goin' way out there for?"
Ken paused, and then when about to reply Raymond burst out.
"Worry, he says it's forestry, but he only took up that fool subject
because he likes to chase around in the woods. He's nutty about trees
and bears and mustangs. He was in Arizona last summer. You ought to
hear some of the stories he's told me. Why, if they're true he's got
Frank Nelson and Jim Hawkins skinned to a frazzle."
"For instance?" asked Worry, very much surprised and interested.
"Why stories about how he was chased and captured by outlaws, and
lassoed bears, and had scraps with Mexicans, and was in wild caves
and forest fires, and lots about a Texas ranger who always carried
two big guns. I've had the nightmare ever since we've been in the
training-house. Oh, Ken can tell stories all right. He's as much
imagination as he's got speed with a ball. And say, Worry, he's got
the nerve to tell me that this summer he expects to help an old hunter
lasso mountain-lions out there in Arizona. What do you think of that?"
"It's straight goods!" protested Ken, solemnly facing the
bright-eyed boys.
"We want to go along!" yelled everybody.
"Say, Peg, I ain't stuck on that idee, not a little bit,"
replied the coach, dubiously.
"Worry has begun to worry about next season. He's afraid Peg will
get that arm chewed off," put in Reddy.
"Well, if I've got to choose between lettin' Peg chase mountain-lions
and seein' him chased by 'em fat-head directors, I'll take my chances
with the lions."
Then all in a moment Worry became serious.
"Boys, it's time to break trainin'. I ain't got much to say. You're the
best team I ever developed. Let it go at that. In a few minutes you are
free to go out to the banquets and receptions, to all that's waitin' for
you. And it will be great. To-morrow you will be sayin' good-bye to me
and to each other and scatterin' to your homes. But let's not forget
each other and how we plugged this year. Sure, it was only baseball,
but, after all, I think good, hard play, on the square and against long
odds, will do as much for you as your studies. Let the old baseball
coach assure you of that."
He paused, paced a few steps to and fro, hands behind his back,
thoughtful and somewhat sad.
The members of the varsity sat pale and still, faces straight before
them, eyes shining with memory of that long up-hill struggle, and
glistening, too, with the thought that the time had come for parting.
"Homans, will you please see to the election of the new captain?"
said Worry.
Homans stepped out briskly and placed a hat, twelve folded slips of
paper, and a pencil upon the table.
"Fellows, you will follow me in our regular batting order," directed
Homans. "Each man is to write his name on one side of a slip of paper
and his choice for captain on the other side. Drop the paper in the hat."
Homans seated himself at the table and quickly cast his vote. Raymond
hobbled up next. Reddy Ray followed him. And so, in silence, and with
a certain grave dignity of manner that had yet a suggestion of pleasure,
the members of the varsity voted.
When they had resumed their seats Homans turned the slips out of the
hat and unfolded them.
"These votes will be given to the athletic directors and kept on record,"
he said. "But we will never see but one side of them. That is Wayne's
rule in electing captains, so the players will not know how each voted.
But this is an occasion I am happy to see when we shall all know who
voted for who. It shall be a little secret of which we will never speak."
He paused while he arranged the slips neatly together.
"There are here twelve votes. Eleven have been cast for one player--one
for another player! Will you all please step forward and look?"
In an intense stillness the varsity surrounded the table. There was
a sudden sharp gasp from one of them.
With a frank, glad smile Homans held out his hand.
"CAPTAIN WARD!"
THE END