"There's a lot in that idea," nodded Dave thoughtfully.

"There's more in it every time that you think of it," Dick contended.

Thus Dick was starting, in Dick & Co., the never-give-up spirit
which made them almost invincible later as High School boys.

Wednesday and Thursday were days filled with eagerness for the
Central Grammar boys. The members of the baseball squad were
not by any means the only ones on tenterhooks. Every boy in the
upper grades of the school was waiting impatiently to learn who
would be the winners of the championship.

Somewhat to the astonishment of the Central Grammar boys Captain
Dick, on Wednesday afternoon, gave his team only a brief half
hour of diamond practice. Thursday afternoon they didn't play
at all. Instead, the nine and its subs. went off on a tramp
through the woods.

"What we want to-morrow above all," Dick explained, as he marshaled
his forces, "is steady nerves. There's nothing like a good walk
in the cool and shady spots for tuning up a schoolboy's nerves
for an ordeal. A walk is good whether you're facing an exam.
or a championship game."

"May the rest of us go with you!" called one of the Central boys
outside the squad.

"We can't stop you," Dick replied, "but we'd rather you let the