n't afford to loaf, for a fact," remarked Just Smith,
soberly. "Let me tell you something, fellows. I was down in Paul
Kramer's sporting emporium just last evening, when who should walk in
but Big Ed. Patterson, the Allandale pitcher, who came so near to
downing us last summer. He looks as fine as silk, and told me
privately he calculates on carrying off that prize offered for hammer
throwing, because that is his pet hobby, you see. Yes, and more than
that, he said they were all crazy up at his 'burg' over the big meet,
boys being out practicing every sort of stunt, even to road-running
by moonlight."

"That sounds good to me," Hugh observed, not appearing to show any
sign of alarm over the stirring news. "It means we'll have a
wonderfully successful affair. Who carries off the prizes is a
matter for the different schools to take care of, and those of us who
believe in clean, honest sport only hope the best fellows win."

"Huh!" grunted Owen Dugdale, "it goes to show that Allandale is all
worked up over losing the baseball pennant to Scranton, and means to
get even by carrying off the majority of the prizes our committee has
offered for the dozen or more events to be contested for."

"But he also informed me," continued the bearer of news, "that over
in Belleville they were just as much excited as in his town, so that
every fellow who'd entered for any event, even to climbing the
greased pole or the sack race, was diligently practicing his
particular stunt. Oh! it's just going to be the greatest athletic
tournament ever held in this section of the country, believe me."

Some of the more timid among the boys seemed to think that Scranton
would come out second-best when the great meet was a thing of the
past; but others only found themselves more determined than ever to
win, after learning how their rivals had entered into the affair with
heart and soul.

Hugh's often-expressed motto that the "best man should win" found an
echo in the majority of their hearts, and they vied with each other
in promising to give every ounce of ability to doing Scranton High
credit.

Mr. Leonard came around to have a few words with his boys. He was a
great favorite with the majority of the scholars under his charge,
and to his clever method of coaching they attributed considerable of
their success on the diamond of recent months. If only his rules
were strictly adhered to it was possible that Allandale and
Belleville might b