to tell them I've made
the varsity.... No, not yet; Worry said not to mention it.... And
now to plug. I'll have to take my exams before the first college
game, April 8th, and that's not long."

In the succeeding days Ken was very busy with attendance at college in
the mornings, baseball practice in the afternoons, and study at night.

If Worry had picked any more players for the varsity, Ken could not
tell who they were. Of course Graves would make the team, and Weir and
Raymond were pretty sure of places. There were sixteen players for the
other five positions, and picking them was only guesswork. It seemed
to Ken that some of the players showed streaks of fast playing at times,
and then as soon as they were opposed to one another in the practice
game they became erratic. His own progress was slow. One thing he could
do that brought warm praise from the coach--he could line the ball home
from deep outfield with wonderful speed and accuracy.

After the varsity had annihilated Worry's "kids," as they had come to
be known, the students showed no further interest. When they ceased
to appear on the field the new players were able to go at their practice
without being ridiculed. Already an improvement had been noticeable.
But rivalry was so keen for places, and the coach's choice so deep a
mystery, that the contestants played under too great a tension, and
school-boys could have done better.

It was on the first of April that Arthurs took Ken up into College Hall
to get permission for him to present himself to the different professors
for the early examinations. While Ken sat waiting in the office he heard
Arthurs talking to men he instantly took to be the heads of the Athletic
Association. They were in an adjoining room with the door open, and their
voices were very distinct, so that Ken could not help hearing.

"Gentlemen, I want my answer to-day," said the coach.

"Is there so great a hurry? Wait a little," was the rejoinder.

"I'm sorry, but this is April 1st, and I'll wait no longer. I'm ready
to send some of my boys up for early exams, and I want to know where
I stand."

"Arthurs, what is it exactly that you want? Things have been in an
awful mess, we know. State your case and we'll try to give you a
definite answer."

"I want full charge of the coachin'--the handlin' of the team, as I
always had before. I don't want any grad coaches. The directors seem
divided, one half want this, the other half that. They'v