“Oh, you’d get by, and you’d be able to handle the job when you got it. And it might just happen that for some reason you could land something better than an assistant’s job. You never can tell a year ahead what’s going to happen. Fellows drop out of school or resign, you know. Think it over, anyhow.” Mr. Connover arose and went out to the pitcher’s box, and the practice, which had slowed up in the last few minutes, took on new vigor. Loring remained silent several minutes, thinking over what the coach had said. It would be really wonderful if he could make good Mr. Connover’s prediction, if he could be of use in the school. Why, being an assistant baseball manager would be almost like playing the game! He turned suddenly to the silent Wattles. “Did you hear what Mr. Connover was saying, Wattles?” he asked. “Yes, sir, perfectly.” “Well, what do you think? Do you believe I could do it?” “Oh, very easily, sir. The position of manager doesn’t strike me, Mr. Loring, as being a very arduous one, although there may be more to it than――er――strikes the eye.” “Well, I do think I could do the――the work,” replied Loring. “What I meant was would I――could we get around as we’d have to? Out here every day, and away with the team on its trips, I suppose, and running around to see different fellows. It would take quite a lot of pushing, Wattles!” “We could do it, sir. I’ve no doubt the young gentlemen would make it as easy as possible for you, Mr. Loring.” “But that’s just it, Wattles. I wouldn’t want any favors, and I’m afraid I couldn’t――couldn’t fill the bill without them.” “I think you could, sir.” Wattles became suddenly apprehensively alert as a ball arched into the air behind the catcher, but it descended a good twenty feet away and Wattles relaxed again. “Mr. Loring, I’ve been thinking for some time that if we had wider tires on the chair it would be a deal better. These are quite satisfactory indoors, sir, but they do go a bit hard on the turf. Now, if you see what I mean, sir, a――er――wider traction――I think traction is the word――” “It is, Wattles, and I do see what you mean. I don’t see why one of us didn’t think of it long ago. Why, with wider tires it wouldn’t be half the work, would it? Especially when the ground’s soft in the early spring, or after a rain! I say, that’s a corking brain wave, old scout!” Wattles coughed modestly, but looked quite pleased in his solemn manner. Mr. Connover returned to his seat on the end of the bench just then and further discussion of the brilliant scheme was postponed. “You don’t happen to know where I can get hold of a couple of good hitters for the Wolcott series, do you?” he asked smilingly as he sat down. “I could do with a couple, Deane.” “They should be left-handers, too, shouldn’t they?” Loring asked lightly.