As usual, his influence soon began to make itself felt. There were
Steve and Toby also who hastened to back him up, realizing what a
factor toward success this feeling of firm reliance on their ability
to fight their own battles would be certain to prove.

It was not long before a tremendous crowd had gathered. Boys who
expected later on to go over to Marshall stopped to take a last look
at the eleven, and figure out the "dope" as to whether they looked
like winners or "quitters." And in nearly every instance they went
away firmly convinced that Jack's team would give Chester no reason to
be ashamed. It seemed to be in the air that great things were about to
happen for the old town, so newly awakened. Perhaps the pleasing
memory of how Jack Winters had led his nine to victory against both
Marshall and Harmony during the late baseball season still lingered in
their minds, to inspire fresh confidence.

"Well," Doc Speaker remarked, as he sat in a car with his folks, and
surveyed the struggling throng gathered to wish the boys the best of
luck, "one thing certain, Sis, if anybody can bring Marshall's scalp
home tonight it's Jack Winters. No one seems to just know how it
comes, but there's a certain magnetism about that fellow that goes
clean through the bunch. You know leaders like Napoleon and our own
Teddy Roosevelt are born, not made. Jack is built on that plan. Other
fellows who have made up their minds to dislike him, as I did at
first, soon come under the magic spell of his nature, and end by
believing he can do almost anything he tries. And so we are all firm
in the belief he'll carry his team to a glorious victory that'll cause
those Harmony chaps to sit up and take notice, because of course every
last one of them will be on deck today, to pick up points about our