two thirds of the nine. I wonder whom they'll allow to hold the
other three positions?"

Several more names were called off. Then came:

"Prescott?"

"Pitcher," Dick answered, quietly.

A thrill of delight went through Fred. This was more luck than
he had hoped for. What great delight there was going to be in
beating out Dick Prescott!

"Reade?"

"Second base."

"Ripley?"

"P-p-pitcher!" Fred fairly stuttered in his eagerness to get the
word out emphatically. In fact, the word left him so explosively
that several of the fellows caught themselves laughing.

"Oh, laugh, then, hang you all!" muttered Fred, in a low voice,
glaring all around him. "But you don't know what you're laughing
at. Maybe I won't show you something in the way of real pitching!"

"The first Tuesday after the holidays' vacation the squad will
report here for gymnastic work from three-thirty to five," called
the coach. "Now, I'll talk informally with any who wish to ask