“Plays the goat,” aided Tom. “Well, that’s all right, too, but it doesn’t look to me as if I’d even get a place on the second. Tusks will only keep, maybe, a dozen fellows, besides the pitchers, and I saw him looking at me just this afternoon in a way I didn’t like at all. He had a sort of ‘Fe fi, fo, fum’ expression! I’ll bet the next time there’s a decrease in the squad, I’ll be one of the decreasees!” “No, you won’t,” said Loring confidently, “and I’ll tell you why. I’ve been watching, Tom, and I know for a fact that there are at least four other fellows on the squad now who play considerably worse than you do.” “Of which I’m one,” said Clif sadly. “No, you’re not. I could tell you their names, but I’m not going to. Mr. Wadleigh has cut the squad to seventeen already, fellows, and he can’t drop more than three more.” “Oh, yes, he can,” contradicted Tom. “Because Steve will be letting four or five go pretty quick, and they’ll drop back into our gang.” “Well, even so,” Loring replied, “I still think your chance of staying is good, Tom. And Clif’s, too. And, what’s more, I want you to stay, both of you. I’m getting interested in baseball, and I want some one I know to watch. I can’t play myself, but I can follow your fortunes and feel almost as if I were. And now here’s where the Triumvirate gets busy and does its stuff. There are three of us, and there’s only one Mr. Wadleigh, and if we can’t convince him, between us, that you and Clif are necessary to the team, why, we――we’re a punk Triumvirate!” “Sounds fair enough,” said Tom, “but just how are we going to do it?” “Well, I don’t quite know――yet,” confessed Loring, “but I believe there’s a way. Do you know anything about psychology?” “Not much. I had one a couple of years ago, but I ran it against an ice-wagon.” “Cut out the comedy,” said Clif severely. “Loring’s got a scheme. Let’s hear it.” “Well, I suppose it is just an idea so far. But here’s the way it looks to me, Clif. Suppose you and Tom make up your minds firmly to play good ball and make the second. And suppose I make up my mind just as earnestly to do everything I can to help you. That makes three of us, all――all concentrating on one purpose, one result, doesn’t it?” “Your arithmetic is perfect,” said Tom gravely. “Well, there must be something in this psychology stuff,” continued Loring. “I mean in the mastery of the will and――and mental suggestion and all that. You read of all sorts of cases where the thing’s been done. Some of them must be true, don’t you think?” “You mean,” asked Clif, “that we are to will ourselves onto the second team?” “Not exactly that. I mean you are to start right now with the determination to make the team and work as hard as you know how; make up your minds to play better every day――” “Every day in every play I’m getting――” “Shut up, Tom!” said Clif. “While we’re trying to make the team we’re to keep telling ourselves that we’re _going_ to. Is that it, Loring?”