d said nothing about the narrow escape Chester had from a real
catastrophe in the loss of their wonderful young pitcher. He thought it
best not to mention matters that concerned only Chester folks; although
feeling positive that Martin would congratulate him on his success in
keeping Alec; for the game would lose much of its interest if only a
second-string pitcher officiated in the box for either side when they
anticipated showing their best goods.

"He's all wool, and a yard wide, that Martin," asserted Toby, after they
had turned their faces toward home again, and were booming along the
road that presently would take them close to the shore of Lake
Constance.

"There's no doubt about his being a good fellow," agreed Jack; "and it's
certainly a real pleasure to go up against such a crowd. For one, I've
underestimated the Harmony boys. We've heard a lot about their noisy
ways and hustle, but, after all, I think most of it's on the surface,
and deeper down they're just as much gentlemen as you'd find anywhere.
Most games of rivalry are won through aggressiveness, and plenty of
fellows cultivate that mode of playing. It doesn't follow that such
chaps are boors, or clowns, or brawlers off the field. We could stand a
little more of that sort of thing ourselves, to tell you the truth,
Toby--standing on our toes, and keeping wide awake every second of the
time play is on."

"Right you are, Jack, and after this I'm going to whoop it up a lot
more'n I've ever done before. You'll see some _hopping_ to beat the
band, too. I've managed to cover a good deal of territory up to now but,
say, I aspire to do still better. I'm rubbing snake oil on my joints
right along so as to make 'em more supple. Why, I'd _bathe_ in it
if I thought that would make me better able to do my part toward
corraling that great game for Chester."

"There, I had a first glimpse of Lake Constance," remarked Jack. "The
trees have closed the vista again, so you can't catch it; but I suppose
we'll soon come to a place where we'll have the water on our left, and
the road even runs along close to the edge. I remember skating up about
this far last February, soon after I arrived in Chester; and the lake
was then a solid sheet of smooth ice."

"Queer how cold the water stays all summer," mused Toby. "There are
times when I've seen boys shivering in July and August while bathing.
It's fed by springs, they say, though Paradise River also empties into
the lake. T