r all."

"We'll have to," said John, stubbornly, as he rose in answer to his
mother's call. "So-long, Bill."

CHAPTER XVII

HE'S "THROUGH WITH GIRLS"

Nine o'clock in the morning saw the "Tigers" assembled in front of the
Silvey home. Sid wore his elaborate outfit; Bill, the ragged football
trousers which had done duty in the autumn, and John sported a battered
cap. Other uniforms among them there were not, but the team made a brave
showing, nevertheless, as it trooped lustily toward the corner. No
scampering across the railroad embankment this time for the members. A
baseball game demanded a more ceremonious arrival on the grounds. They
neared the viaduct and Red and Perry Alford began a tattoo on the cement
walk with the baseball bats. The other players broke into that
time-honored refrain,

Hip! Hip!
I had a good job
And I quit.
My name is Sam
And I don't give a--[pause]
Hippetty hippetty, hip!

With the corner and adult ears left behind them, Sid, in a spirit of
bravado, filled in the tabooed expletive and aroused the awed admiration
of his subordinates.

Past the long, low, red art shops they swaggered, keeping perfect time
to the chant as they rounded the corner. John who was a little ahead of
the others, broke into a sharp cry of dismay.

"Look! _Our grounds!_"

The consternation which was on his face spread to theirs. The shaky,
weather-beaten fence by the sidewalk had been torn down before their
arrival. At intervals, load after load of building stone rumbled over
hastily formed paths of heavy planks. Further in, on the field, from the
home-plate northward over the painstakingly levelled earth, harnessed
horses sweated and tugged at the traces as scoop after scoop bit into
the turf and came up filled with dirt to be emptied against the railroad
tracks.

"Flats," gasped Silvey, as they drew nearer. John said nothing, but his
lower lip trembled as the last trace of the beautifully sanded base
lines disappeared under the excavators' devastating hands.

"'Tis a pity," said the kindly Irishman, who noted their approach, "but
it has to be, I guess, kids. Yis, the other team went home, fifteen
minutes ago. Said they didn't guess there'd be a game today."

They stopped in dazed bewilderment to watch the progress of the
foundation work. At last, John, sick at heart, slunk away. He wanted to
be home, away from everyone until he could get control of his feelings.
As he c