n the spectators saw him touch the bag, and that the umpire had
made the motion to indicate that Leonard was easily out, a great
shout arose; for the game was over.

After all the intense anxiety Scranton had won the first of the series
of three games which she expected to play with Belleville, unless
the other team failed to take the next one there would be no necessity
for playing the "rubber."

So Scranton boys were able to wend their way homeward in the coming
dusk, singing their school songs, and feeling all the airs of conquerors.
A happy crowd it was, taken in all, and rosy visions of the future
naturally filled the minds and hearts of those boys who had fought
so valiantly that day to overcome the enemy.

They could even look forward confidently now to the next game, which
would be with Allendale, two weeks off; and some there were who
already saw in imagination the championship pennant of the Three Town
High School League floating from the flag-pole on the dear old campus
during the Fall session of school.

CHAPTER VII

WHAT THAD SAW

Some days passed.

As there would be no championship game the coming Saturday for Scranton
High the town settled back into its ordinary condition, so far as the
young people went. There were afternoons for practice, of course, when
the full team was expected to be on deck, and renew their acquaintance
with the many intricacies of the game as taught by Coach Saunders.

Still every other day the boys were at liberty to go and come as they
pleased. Some made it a religious duty, as well as pleasure, to show
up regularly at the ball grounds, where there were always enough
fellows handy to get up a scrub game, for baseball aspirants were as
thick as blackberries in August around Scranton that season. A great
revival of interest in outdoor sports had struck the town, and
promised to stick far into the fall and winter.

On one of these off-days---it was Friday, to be exact---Thad showed
up over at the home of his chum, evidently laboring under some unusual
stress of excitement. Hugh had walked home with him from school, and
being busy with certain things had stayed in his den for two hours or
more. Then in burst Thad, his face red with suppressed news.

"What's happened now?" demanded Hugh, realizing instantly that the
other was in a perfect "sweat" to communicate something he had learned.
"Have the Germans landed on the coast, or is little old New York being
bo