deserted his
comfortable seat by the side of Miss Josephine Stevens, and strode
forth to the mound, leaving the unfortunate Princeman to take his place
by the side of Miss Stevens and give her an opportunity to sympathize
with his poor maimed pitching hand, which, after a perfunctory moment
of interest, she was too busy to do; for Jack Turner and Sam Turner,
smiling across at each other in mutual confidence and esteem, proceeded
to strike out the next three batters in succession, leaving men
cemented to first and second bases, where they had been wildly
imploring for opportunities to tear themselves loose.

What need to tell of the balance of that game; of the calm, easy,
one-two-three work of the invincible Turner battery; of the brilliant
base throwing and fielding of Turner and Turner, and their mighty swats
when they came to bat? You know how the game turned out. Anybody
would know. It ended in a triumph for Meadow Brook at the end of the
seventh inning, which is all any summer resort game ever goes, and two
innings more than most, by a total and glorious score of twenty-one to
seventeen. And who were the heroes of the hour, as smilingly but
modestly they strode from the diamond? Who, indeed, but Jack Turner
and Sam Turner; and by token of their victory, after receiving the
frenzied plaudits of all Meadow Brook and the generous plaudits of all
Hollis Creek, they marched in triumph from the field, one on either
side of Miss Josephine Stevens! Where now were Hollis and Princeman
and Billy Westlake? Nowhere! They were forgotten of men, ignored of
women, and the laurels of sweet victory rested upon the brow of busy
Sam Turner!

CHAPTER XVI

AN INTERRUPTED BUT PROPERLY FINISHED PROPOSAL OF MARRIAGE

Jack's first opportunity for a quiet talk with his brother did not
occur for an hour after the game.

"I don't like to worry you while you're resting, Sam," he began, "but
I'll have to tell you that the Flatbush deal seems likely to drop
through. It reaches a head to-morrow, you know."

[Illustration: "I don't like to worry you, Sam"]

Sam Turner grabbed for his watch.

"It can't drop through!" he vigorously declared. "I'll go right up
there to-night and look after it."

"But you're on your vacation," protested Jack. "That's no way to rest."

"On my vacation!" snorted Sam. "Of course I am. I'm not losing a
minute of my vacation. The proper way to have a vacation is to do the
thing you enjoy mo