THE STORY OF THE UNIFORMS


"Great Scott!" gasped Hi Martin, in sheer dismay, his gaze fixed
on the approaching Centrals.

"Where in the mischief did they get those uniforms?" demanded
Tom Percival, of the North Grammars, his mouth agape.

"Well, they have 'em, anyway," added Bill Rodgers. "And they
certainly look more than fine, don't they?"

"The uniforms are made of cheap stuff, I'll wager," muttered Hi
hoarsely. There was a choke in his throat over seeing his own
nine so badly eclipsed in appearance by the despised Central Grammars.

Not less astonished were the Central Grammar boy spectators themselves.
Not one, outside of the baseball squad, had known that any uniforms
were to be worn on the field.

"Huh!" remarked Ted Teall, captain of the South Grammars, to one
of his lieutenants. "We are the only school nine in town now
without a uniform. When we get on the field to play we'll look
like a lot of rag-pickers, won't we?"

"I know where they got 'em," choked Hi at last. "Their principal,
Old Dut Jones, wouldn't see his boys look too badly compared with
us, so he bought 'em as good uniforms as he could afford. It's
a shame. That's what it is."