Chapter XIX: Fairview and Randall

Tom did not reply to Sid's almost sneering allusion to the unfortunate fact that he was barred from playing. There was little the captain could say, and when Sid went to Bascome's dinner, together with a number of the more sporty students, Tom and Phil, who were in bed, did not greet their chum on his return.

"What's the matter with you fellows?" demanded Sid, as he entered the darkened room, and proceeded to get ready to retire. "You'd think I'd committed an unpardonable crime. It was a jolly crowd I was with, and nothing out of the way. Bascome isn't half bad, when you get to know him."

"Only a little fresh, that's all," remarked Phil, while Tom mumbled a few words that might have been taken for anything.

The game with Michigan the next day demonstrated in how poor a condition was Randall, for the contest nearly went by the board, and Tom only pulled it out of the fire by excellent pitching, though he was not in the best of form.

"Well, we won, anyhow," remarked Phil that night.

"Yes, but nothing to boast of. I'm worried about the Fairview game Saturday," said the captain.

"Do we play on their grounds?"

"No, they come here."

"Well, that's something in our favor. We'll have Bean Perkins and the other shouters with us. We've just got to win, Tom!"

"I know it, but----"

"There are no 'buts,' old man," declared the genial first baseman. "Just remember that the girls will be on hand, and they mustn't see us go down to defeat twice to a co-ed college."

"No, of course not," and Tom turned in.

The following days were devoted to practice--practice harder than any yet that term, for Tom and the coach worked the men every spare hour they could devote to the diamond, outside of lecture and study hours. Pete Backus improved wonderfully. He was not Sid's equal, but the best substitute that could be found.

"Oh, Sid, but I wish you were going to play," said Tom, with a little sigh, the night before the Fairview game.

"So do I," came in sorrowful tones from the second baseman. "But--Oh, well, what's the use of talking?" and he tried to laugh it off, but it was a poor attempt.

Fairview was on hand early with a crowd of "rooters" and supporters, both young men and maidens, the next afternoon, when the Randall team fairly leaped out on the diamond.

"I wonder if Ruth is here?" said Phil, as he stopped a particularly "hot" ball Tom threw.

"Let's take a look," suggested the pitcher, and while the grand stand and bleachers were filling up the two strolled along, scanning the hundreds of faces.

"There she is!" cried Tom at length. "Miss Tyler's with her."

"And Miss Harrison is up there, too," added Phil. "And see who's with her--Miss Harrison, I mean."

"Who?"

"Langridge."

"By Jove! you're right," agreed Tom. "I guess he came to get a line on us. Well, he'll get it."

"Queer place he picked out to see the game from," went on Phil.

"Why?"

"It'll be sunny there, after a bit," replied Phil, for part of the seating accommodations on the Randall grounds were not of the best, and some grand stands were little better than the bleachers in the matter of shade. "He'll have the sun almost in his face before the game is half over," continued the first baseman.

"Well, if it suits him, we oughtn't to kick," said Tom.

"No, I s'pose not. Hello, if there isn't Sid, and he's going to sit right down behind Langridge and Miss Harrison."

"That's so. Maybe he doesn't see 'em. Rather awkward if he and Langridge have a run-in here. But come on, we'll say how-d'y-do to the girls, and then get at practice," and, after greeting their friends, and assuring them that Fairview would go home beaten, Tom and Phil took their places with the other players.

"Now, fellows, we've got to win!" declared Tom emphatically just before the game started. "Last time we played Fairview we lost by a score of ten to three. Don't let it happen again."

"No, don't you dare to," cautioned Mr. Leighton.

A moment later the Randall players went out in the field, the home team having the privilege of batting last. The umpire took the new ball from its foil cover, and tossed it to Tom. The tall, good-looking pitcher looked at it critically, glanced around the field to see that his men were in position, and then sent in a few practice balls to Dutch Housenlager, who loomed up big and confident behind home plate.

Ted Puder, the Fairview center fielder and captain, was the first man up, and was greeted with a round of cheers as he tapped his bat on the rubber. Dutch signalled for an out curve and Tom delivered it, right over the plate.

"Strike!" called the umpire.

"Wow!" jeered Fairview's friends, for Puder had not swung at it.

"Robber!" yelled some one, but the Fairview captain only laughed. "Make him give you a good one, Puder," he said.

But waiting availed Puder nothing, for Tom neatly struck him out, and followed it by doing the same to Lem Sellig. Frank Sullivan managed to find Tom's second delivery, and sent a neat little liner out toward Bricktop Molloy, at short. Bricktop seemed to have it fairly in his grasp, even though he had to reach out to one side for it, but his foot slipped, and the ball went on past him.

"Run, Frank, run!" screamed a score of voices, and Frank legged it for first, reaching the bag before Joe Jackson in left field could run up and redeem Bricktop's error by stopping the rolling ball.

"Never mind, two down--play for the batter," advised Dutch in a signal to Tom, and the pitcher nodded comprehendingly. Ned Williams, who followed Sullivan, knocked two fouls, both of which Dutch tried hard to get, but could not. Then Tom struck him out with a puzzling drop, and a goose egg went up on the score board for Fairview.

"Guess they're not finding us as soft as they expected," remarked Holly Cross, as his side came in.

"It's early yet," advised Tom. "Wait until about the fifth inning, and then talk."

"Do you wish to spank me?" asked Bricktop, as he came up to Tom, looking sorrowful over his error.

"Don't do it again, that's all," said Coach Leighton.

"Not for worlds," promised the red-haired shortstop.