rgan. In
fact, he might be said to fairly worship the other boy, who had always
treated him most kindly, and seemed to sympathize with his having been
cheated by a cruel Fate out of the ordinary pleasures connected with
the average boy's life. Limpy Wallace would have gone far out of his
way to do Hugh a favor. He now came bounding along, with his crutch
making rapid jumps, and apparently every muscle in his poor distorted
body in action.

But his thin face was lighted up with eagerness. Evidently, it was no
ordinary motive that had caused the lame boy to exert himself so
earnestly in order to overtake the two chums.

"I've got something to tell you, Hugh," he panted, for he was almost
out of breath, owing to his exertions; an ordinary boy might have run
over that same stretch without showing it much, but it must have been a
strenuous undertaking for the cripple.

"Glad to hear it," laughed Hugh. "I'm waiting to have some one tell me
that our team is going to wipe up the ground with both Allandale and
Belleville when we come to grips. Is your news of that sort, Limpy?"

Of course he was only joking when he said this. Every one called the
other Limpy, nor did he seem to mind it a particle; indeed, only from
the teachers at school and his folks at home was it likely that he ever
heard his name of Osmond spoken.

"Shucks! it hasn't a thing to do with baseball, or any other outdoor
sport, Hugh," the cripple hastened to say. "Because I heard your name
mentioned plainly I felt that you ought to know what little I managed
to pick up."

"All right, then, Limpy, start ahead, and spin the yarn," said Hugh.
"Has some one been remarking what a poor excuse of an athlete Hugh
Morgan is; and that he ought never to have been given his job as field
captain of the Scranton High baseball team? It's no more than I
expected, Limpy, and my feelings can't be hurt a bit; so don't try to
spare me."

"Listen, then, please, and you, too, Thad, seeing that you're his
chum," began the other, eagerly. "It was just an accident, you
understand, because I never yet was intentionally guilty of trying to
overhear what other fellows were saying. I had been tired out at
recess, and was lying down on that bench, you remember, that stands in
the corner of the grounds. It happens to have a back to it, and I
guess no one could notice me there. The other fellows were walking
around in bunches, and talking to beat the band. All at once I h