satisfaction for the raw deal that's been handed out to you."

The fellow's words and manner were suave and seductive, and, if Phil
had wavered, he now put his hesitation aside.

"Oh, I'm ready to take a ch-chance," he declared. "I want to see them
done up, and I'm not at all averse to winning some money through their
defeat. Wyndham has always had rather the better team at baseball or
football, and I see no reason to believe she won't have this year."

"And every reason for believing she will have, considering the fact
that a dandy like Dade Newbert is going to pitch for her. Wait till
you see him in action; it will open your eyes. How much money have you
got?"

Springer moved until the light of the street lamp in front of the
postoffice over the way shone upon him, plunging his hand into his
pocket and bringing up a lot of silver.

"Here's five dollars in ten-cent pieces," he said; "and I've got two
dollars besides."

"Seven plunks, all told. But say, I hope you didn't get this chicken
feed the way Hooker got his that he let me have to bet on the Barville
game."

"Eh? How did he get it?"

"Stole it; swiped it off his own mother. What do you know about that,
Bo?"

"Stole it!" cried Phil. "Well, you nun-needn't think I got mine that
way! I'm no thief!"

"I should hope not. I'm not eager to chum with a fellow of that sort,
and I've cut Hooker out; told him what I thought of him and quit him
for good. He's too cheap for me." Herbert coughed behind his hand,
his air one of great virtue and uprightness.

"These dimes came from my ten-cent bank," explained Springer. "I've
been saving them one at a tut-time as I could spare them, and I had it
pretty near full. When I mum-made up my mind to bet--or let you bet
for me--I got enough to fill the bank and break it open; and that's why
there are so many of them. Here they are; you can count them if you
want to. And here's two dollars more."

Rackliff accepted the money and pocketed it "Don't suppose you want a
receipt?" he asked, laughing.

"Nun-no," faltered Phil, suddenly realizing that Herbert could deny the
whole transaction if he saw fit to do so, and that there would be no
way of proving it had ever taken place. In spite of the fact that
circumstances and mutual sympathies had led him into taking up with the
city boy, he did not feel that a fellow of Herbert's stamp was wholly
to be trusted.

"Nun-no," mocked Rackliff with an intonation of