her as he
passed.

"Hello, Frank!" she called to him brightly. "Frank! Frank!" she cried,
after the young man had passed, springing up and running after him.

"I am in a hurry, Jane; I must get a man for left field."

"But, Frank," she said, catching his arm, for young Smart was a great
friend of hers and of her father's. "I want to tell you. You see that
funny boy under the tree," she continued, lowering her voice. "Well,
he's a splendid player. Tom doesn't want him to play, and I don't
either, because I want the High School to beat. But it would not be fair
not to tell you, would it?"

Young Smart looked at her curiously. "Say, little girl, you're a sport.
And is he a good player?"

"Oh, he's splendid, but he's queer--I mean he looks queer. He's awfully
funny. But that doesn't matter, does it?"

"Not a hair, if he can play ball. What's his name?"

"Sam--something."

"Sam Something? That is a funny name."

"Oh, you know, Sam. I don't know his other name."

"Well, I'll try him, Jane," said young Smart, moving toward the boy and
followed by the eager eyes of the little girl.

"I say, Sam," said Smart, "we want a man for left field. Will you take a
go at it?"

"Too hot," grunted Sam.

"Oh, you won't find it too hot when you get started. Rip off your coat
and get into the game. You can play, can't you?"

"Aw, what yer givin' us. I guess I can give them ginks a few pointers."

"Well, come on."

"Too hot," said Sam.

Jane pulled young Smart by the sleeve. "Tell him you will give him a
jersey," she said in a low voice. "His shirt is torn."

Again young Smart looked at Jane with scrutinising eyes. "You're a
wonder," he said.

"Come along, Sam. You haven't got your sweater with you, but I will get
one for you. Get into the bush there and change."

With apparent reluctance, but with a gleam in his little red eyes, Sam
slouched into the woods to make the change, and in a few moments came
forth and ran to take his position at left field.

The baseball match turned out to be a mere setting for the display
of the eccentricities and superior baseball qualities of Sam, which
apparently quite outclassed those of his teammates in the match. After
three disastrous innings, Sam caused himself to be moved first to the
position of short stop, and later to the pitcher's box, to the immense
advantage of his side. But although, owing to the lead obtained by the
enemy, his prowess was unable to ward off defeat from