Fairview was on hand early with a crowd of "rooters" and supporters, both young men and maidens, the next afternoon, when the Randall team fairly leaped out on the diamond.
"I wonder if Ruth is here?" said Phil, as he stopped a particularly "hot" ball Tom threw.
"Let's take a look," suggested the pitcher, and while the grand stand and bleachers were filling up the two strolled along, scanning the hundreds of faces.
"There she is!" cried Tom at length. "Miss Tyler's with her."
"And Miss Harrison is up there, too," added Phil. "And see who's with her--Miss Harrison, I mean."
"By Jove! you're right," agreed Tom. "I guess he came to get a line on us. Well, he'll get it."
"Queer place he picked out to see the game from," went on Phil.
"It'll be sunny there, after a bit," replied Phil, for part of the seating accommodations on the Randall grounds were not of the best, and some grand stands were little better than the bleachers in the matter of shade. "He'll have the sun almost in his face before the game is half over," continued the first baseman.
"Well, if it suits him, we oughtn't to kick," said Tom.
"No, I s'pose not. Hello, if there isn't Sid, and he's going to sit right down behind Langridge and Miss Harrison."
"That's so. Maybe he doesn't see 'em. Rather awkward if he and Langridge have a run-in here. But come on, we'll say how-d'y-do to the girls, and then get at practice," and, after greeting their friends, and assuring them that Fairview would go home beaten, Tom and Phil took their places with the other players.
"Now, fellows, we've got to win!" declared Tom emphatically just before the game started. "Last time we played Fairview we lost by a score of ten to three. Don't let it happen again."
"No, don't you dare to," cautioned Mr. Leighton.
A moment later the Randall players went out in the field, the home team having the privilege of batting last. The umpire took the new ball from its foil cover, and tossed it to Tom. The tall, good-looking pitcher looked at it critically, glanced around the field to see that his men were in position, and then sent in a few practice balls to Dutch Housenlager, who loomed up big and confident behind home plate.
Ted Puder, the Fairview center fielder and captain, was the first man up, and was greeted with a round of cheers as he tapped his bat on the rubber. Dutch signalled for an out curve and Tom delivered it, right over the plate.
