der. These double-headers we
hated next to exhibition games. Still a lay-off for twenty-four hours,
at that stage of the race, was a Godsend, and we received the news with
exclamations of pleasure.

After dinner we were all sitting and smoking comfortably in front of
the hotel when our manager, Merritt, came hurriedly out of the lobby.
It struck me that he appeared a little flustered.

"Say, you fellars," he said brusquely. "Pack your suits and be ready
for the bus at seven-thirty."

For a moment there was a blank, ominous silence, while we assimilated
the meaning of his terse speech.

"I've got a good thing on for tomorrow," continued the manager. "Sixty
per cent gate receipts if we win. That Guelph team is hot stuff,
though."

"Guelph!" exclaimed some of the players suspiciously. "Where's Guelph?"

"It's in Canada. We'll take the night express an' get there tomorrow
in time for the game. An' we'll hev to hustle."

Upon Merritt then rained a multiplicity of excuses. Gillinger was not
well, and ought to have that day's rest. Snead's eyes would profit by
a lay-off. Deerfoot Browning was leading the league in base running,
and as his legs were all bruised and scraped by sliding, a manager who
was not an idiot would have a care of such valuable runmakers for his
team. Lake had "Charley-horse." Hathaway's arm was sore. Bane's
stomach threatened gastritis. Spike Doran's finger needed a chance to
heal. I was stale, and the other players, three pitchers, swore their
arms should be in the hospital.

"Cut it out!" said Merritt, getting exasperated. "You'd all lay down on
me--now, wouldn't you? Well, listen to this: McDougal pitched today;
he doesn't go. Blake works Friday, he doesn't go. But the rest of you
puffed-up, high-salaried stiffs pack your grips quick. See? It'll
cost any fresh fellar fifty for missin' the train."

So that was how eleven of the Rochester team found themselves moodily
boarding a Pullman en route for Buffalo and Canada. We went to bed
early and arose late.

Guelph lay somewhere in the interior of Canada, and we did not expect
to get there until 1 o'clock.

As it turned out, the train was late; we had to dress hurriedly in the
smoking room, pack our citizen clothes in our grips and leave the train
to go direct to the ball grounds without time for lunch.

It was a tired, dusty-eyed, peevish crowd of ball players that climbed
into a waiting bus at the little station.

W