Rival Pitchers of Oakdale

baseball suit, and he sat on the bleachers with Herbert, the two talking together in guarded tones. No one paid much attention to them, for most of the boys held very decided opinions, whi

satisfaction, in the knowledge that it would cause him to be envied by less fortunate lads. It was necessary, however, to tinker a great deal over the machin

sed trousers carefully pulled up to prevent bagging at the knees, sat on a box near by, in the open d

pump an ordinary bike," said Herbert, "and that's to

arts off and behaves fine for a little while, and I think it's all right. Just when I get to thinking that, it kicks up and leaves me a mile or two away from

right when they go, and a perfect nuisance when they don't. Now look at yourself, Roy, old fellow. Your

s all. There's only one person in town who knows anything about gas engines, and he's Urian Eliot's

shake one up fearfully riding over these rough

boulevards. It's lots of sport, and one can get around almost anywhere he wants to go. As long as I'm not goin

you?" laughed Rackliff. "I thought perhaps

kdale beaten? Why, I wouldn't miss that

to me straight, Roy, is that fellow Sanger really much of a pitcher?

he didn't show up very strong; but it's a fact that Wyndham, the fastest tea

rk a batter. Gets right under the man's club and talks to him in a low tone, telling him how rotten he is and all that, until he has the fellow swinging like a gate at every old thing that comes over. And the way

try anything like

scrapper, and he can handle his dukes. He has scien

e's a perfect fury. They say his old man was a great fighter, and that he's been

ycle. After a while, with the switch on, he bestrode the thing a

fire, and, with a shout of satisfaction, he t

imself on the box, heard the repeated explosions of the motorcycle, and Roy, his fac

ike a bird,

do to it?" a

thing else I could think of, so I don't know what it was that sent her off. If she'll only keep going, I d

lieve I do. I'd

rt her and stop her, and, if you can ride an ordinary bicy

ide the butt of his cigarette, "but I should ha

r through Middle Street, up Main, back alon

d to make the venture. Roy gave full and complete directions about the manipulation of the

uted Roy. "Give her a little gas

the engine began popping away benea

ngine or slowed it down, as he desired, and soon his confidence rose. One of the street crossings gave him a bump that nearly threw him off, but he was prepared for the next, and took it easily. In a brief time he had cover

to death. Don't know but I'd like to have one of the things myself. N

suppose after I get onto the knack of it I

n. Perhaps I might induce the governor to give me one, by way of ato

dden troubled look coming to his face; "but I suppose if you got on

little easy money by betting on them-if we ever found anybody who had the nerve to bet with us. I kept myself supplied with pocket money in th

you ev

often. I didn'

w could you be

ers pretty thoroughly, and then pick the side I believe has every prospect of winning. Sometimes it's possible to help one team or another along on the qu

aid Roy enviously. "I never had ten

, preparing to light a fresh cigarette. "I sympathize