This is the way it began:--

That morning Jehosophat had gone with the Toyman to Sawyer's Mill over
on Wally's Creek. Marmaduke felt lonely, for there was nobody but
Hepzebiah to play with, and she wouldn't leave her dolls, and he had
long ago gotten past playing with _them_. As he was wandering
forlornly around the barnyard, wondering what he could do, he heard a
shout over by the Miller farm.

"You're out!"

It was a very fascinating cry, an inviting one as well. Looking over
the field he saw boys--at least six of them--playing baseball. So he
hurried over to get in the game, too.

But his old enemy "Fatty" told him that they didn't "want any
_kids_ hangin' around."

And Dicky Means agreed with that.

"Naw, we don't want any _kids_!"

"I can catch an' I can pitch--curves, too," Marmaduke protested, but
they wouldn't believe him.

"You can't, either," Fatty yelled back, "you'd muff it every time.
Wouldn't he, Means?"

He was talking to _Dicky_ Means, but he called him by his last