“Playing center field, I believe.” The statement was made questioningly, and Mr. Cooper looked quite pleased when Loring’s nod indicated that he had named the position correctly. “I’m rather a duffer about this game,” he went on. “Haven’t seen much of it, you know.” His tone was apologetic, and Loring, smiling, answered: “I’ll just bet, though, you know plenty of other games, Mr. Cooper.” “Not so many. Golf, of course, and polo. I’ve played that a goodish bit.” “Really?” exclaimed Loring. “I say, that must be corking! I’m going to get dad to take me to the games next summer. You know, when the English team comes across. Are you――do you play on one of our teams, sir?” “Oh, no. Most of my playing has been over in India and around there. I’m really not much good at it.” “I’ll bet you are, just the same,” declared Loring, sweeping the lean figure with his gaze. “And I guess you play a corking game of golf, sir!” Mr. Cooper appeared pleased and somewhat embarrassed. “Why, thanks,” he replied. “But corking’s hardly the word for the sort of game I play nowadays. I dare say you, now, could give me――” Then he stopped abruptly, with a sudden contraction of his brows, and: “By Jove, that was stupid of me!” he added remorsefully. “Look here, I’m beastly sorry, my boy!” But Loring was chuckling. “Please don’t apologize, sir! Why, I like being――I like folks to forget. It’s almost as if I really could do things like――other fellows, sir. You see, Mr. Cooper, if I was able to I’d do everything of that sort. I mean play golf and baseball and football and――I think, though, I’d rather play football than anything else. Do you like football, sir? Did you use to play it?” “No, I never played football, Deane. Your name is Deane, I think?” “Yes, sir, but――I’m generally called Loring by my friends,” said the boy a little shyly. “Thank you,” said the other gravely. “I see that you really have forgiven me. I was going to say that I do like to watch a good football game, but I’ve been knocking about a goodish bit and I don’t recall when I saw the last one. I think it was in France, though; and that was nine――no, say eight years ago.” “During the War?” asked Loring. “Yes, the Tommies played quite a bit, and so did the Yanks. Not the same game, though.” “You were in the War, weren’t you, sir?”