ing to have things his own way, and ruling by might of his fists.
Why, nearly everybody in Scranton believes him to be utterly
irreclaimable. What makes you say such a queer thing?"

"I may be mistaken after all," said Hugh, slowly, "but here's a
singular thing I saw only yesterday. I haven't mentioned it to a
living soul, but it set me to thinking, and wondering whether, after
all, if a big hulking fellow like Nick were given a fair chance to make
good, he mightn't change and astonish the neighborhood.

"I was going along a side street when I got a thrill. There was a
buggy with a frisky horse attached standing in front of a house. The
man had gone inside and very imprudently left his child, a little
fellow of some five years of age, to sit there in the vehicle, not even
bothering to hitch the beast.

"Well, the boy, like most kids would do, had started playing with the
whip; and I saw him give the horse quite a blow. No doubt he was
imitating his father in doing that. The spirited beast started
rearing, and then acted as if about to make a dash down the street. It
would have been putting the child's life in danger, you can easily see.

"I started to run, but never could have made it. Then I saw some one
jump for the horse's head, and have a little tussle with the animal.
It was Nick Lang. He hadn't stopped to think of any danger to himself.
I drew up and watched him. He conquered the beast, fastened him to a
hitching post, and then started to scold the white-faced little boy for
having touched the whip. The bully was showing in his nature, after
all, that splendid exhibition of nerve and quick wit.

"Nick noticed me then, for the first time, and acted confused, as if
caught doing something he would not like folks to know. He shook his
finger in the boy's face again threateningly, gave me a sneering look,
and then stalked along down the street whistling like anything. And,
Thad, the boy who could do a thing like that off-hand can't be quite
_all_ bad, though people oughtn't to be blamed for thinking he is.
So-long, Thad!"

CHAPTER X

A VISITOR FROM BELLEVILLE HIGH

On the following afternoon, which chanced to be Tuesday, more boys than
before appeared at the recreation grounds for practice. Mr. Leonard
had sent out an urgent call for every one of the numerous candidates to
be on hand, since they expected to organize two nines. They would have
a fierce game, in order that he might have an o