rm."

"Oh--Why, it's all right."

"It's not sore--not after peggin' a bushel of potatoes on a cold day?"

Ken laughed and raised his arm up and down. "It's weak to-night, but
not sore."

"These boys with their India-rubber arms! It's youth, Kid, it's youth.
Say, how old are you?"

"Sixteen."

"What! No more than that?"

"No."

"How much do you weigh?"

"About one hundred and fifty-six."

"I thought you had some beef back of that stunt of yours to-day. Say,
Kid, it was the funniest and the best thing I've seen at the university
in ten years--and I've seen some fresh boys do some stunts, I have.
Well... Kid, you've a grand whip--a great arm--and we're goin' to do
some stunts with it."

Ken felt something keen and significant in the very air.

"A great arm! For what?... who are you?"

"Say, I thought every boy in college knew me. I'm Arthurs."

"The baseball coach! Are you the baseball coach?" exclaimed Ken,
jumping up with his heart in his throat.

"That's me, my boy; and I'm lookin' you up."

Ken suddenly choked with thronging emotions and sat down as limp as
a rag.

"Yes, Kid, I'm after you strong. The way you pegged 'em to-day got me.
You've a great arm!"

III

PRISONER OF THE SOPHS

"But if--it's really true--that I've a great arm," faltered Ken,
"it won't ever do me any good. I could never get on the varsity."

"Why not?" demanded the coach. "I'll make a star of a youngster like
you, if you'll take coachin'. Why not?"

"Oh, you don't know," returned Ken, with a long face.

"Say, you haven't struck me as a kid with no nerve. What's wrong
with you?"

"It was I who slugged Captain Dale and caused that big rush between
the freshmen and sophomores. I've lived like a hermit ever since."

"So it was you who hit Dale. Well--that's bad," replied Arthurs.
He got up with sober face and began to walk the floor. "I remember
the eye he had. It was a sight.... But Dale's a good fellow. He'll--"

"I'd do anything on earth to make up for that," burst out Ken.

"Good! I'll tell you what we'll do," said Arthurs, his face brightening.
"We'll go right down to Dale's room now. I'll fix it up with him somehow.
The sooner the better. I'm goin' to call the baseball candidates to the
cage soon."

They put on coats and hats and went out. Evidently the coach was thinking
hard, for he had nothing to say, but he kept a reassuring hand on Ken's
arm. They crossed the campus along the very path where Ke