ummer waned. Somehow the success that attended the work of Scranton High in the battles of the Three Town League, as narrated in an earlier volume of this series, seemed to have stirred up man

or a long term of years, from the owner, so that the young people of Scranton mi

rect some sort of decent grandstand, but a building that would contain a number

e of lockers, where the one who paid a small fee could keep his "fighting togs," as Thad Stevens was wont to term his basebal

o the same; and when engaged in practice work rested easy in t

summer time during the hot weather. The boys arranged to take turns in shifts with regard to keeping the building clean,

sed. It would keep the rowdy element from disturbing the players when any game was in progress; and, as a small admission fee migh

When the boys and girls of the town felt inclined to skate after a sharp freeze along about New Year's Day, they had to walk all the way out to Hobson's mill-pond, situated between half and two-thir

out in various places, it had been arranged to flood the field after winter had fully set in. Then, during the time of severe weather, the young folks

d; and already a fine hockey Seven had been organized, under the leadership

ave an air of business to the grounds, and the boys had already begun to congratulate themselves

jected to so much "good money being wasted," as they termed it, on such trivial things, when Scranton

enterprise. The person who, perhaps, had more influence than any of the others, and was more vehement in deriding the "foolish expenditure of fun

us. She never ceased talking upon all sorts of elevating subjects; and where other boys were allowed to lead normal

tute of color such as would indicate abounding spirits and good health; but it was no

me, with envy. Once upon a time his mother, chancing to pass along the street in her fine car, was horrified to discover her darling Claude actually taking part in some "rowdy game," in which he scrambled with the rest just as v

boy into the car, and actually crying with dismay when she found that he actually had a scratch upon his nose, which had been bleeding. But it was also noticed that Claude grinned at his late fel

physical development more than any other fellow in Scranton High. Constant feeding upon lofty ideas, and never given a chance to develop his muscles, was wrecking his health. Mr. Leonard had even gone to M

rful collection of curios from an uncle living out in India, after whom he had been named; and upon being especially invited over to view these things, w

ong the road close to the athletic grounds

exhausted their vocabulary of words that express delight, in examining the many things of interest shown by "Limpy" Wallace, who

fashion, as he walked homeward. Probably these were the main reasons for their unnatural silence, as they stalked along sid

ortunate they had lapsed into this queer condition of silence, for, otherwise, they would have mis

ed to be looking that way while Hugh was star-gazing.

dog, or a fellow half bent over?" was wh

Thad was pointing a little to the right, which was where the building ere

or asking such a question, because at first it was next to impossible to determine whether it was a four-foote

a cautious survey of his surroundings. Then he knew that it was no canine prowling around to disc

in such a low tone that even the sharpest pair of ears

le set by the other, and even bending his head so

that out,"

s curiosity now fully aroused, as the unknown again started to mo

m. "I don't like the way he's sneaking around he

" suggested Thad, as the i

put it past a hobo to steal anything he could find left in the lockers. Hugh, it'