Tom looked and shook his head. “I never saw him before,” he said. “Wonder where they got him. They wanted us to agree to play to-day with the same line-up we had before, but I refused because I wanted Sam to catch for us. I guess they thought they’d strengthen themselves some, too. That fellow must be twenty-three or four.” “All of that, I guess. And from the easy way in which he handles that ball I’d say he’d done it before,” added Mr. Talbot drily. “Probably a college man they’ve picked up.” “I don’t see,” said Tommy Hughes, who had joined them, “why two can’t play at that game, sir. You might play for us, Mr. Talbot.” “I guess not. Teams don’t usually play their coaches, Hughes.” “But you’re not our coach, sir. This isn’t the high school team, it’s the Blues.” Mr. Talbot laughed. “Really? But I see quite a few familiar faces! You might get Mr. George to play, though.” “He’s going to umpire,” said Tom. “I just asked him. There’s Mr. Hall coming in, though. He used to pitch. We might ask him.” “John Hall? What’s he doing here?” Mr. Talbot asked. “He’s a friend of Sam’s and we asked him to come to the game. You know him, don’t you, Mr. Talbot?” “I’ve met him,” replied the coach briefly. Then he smiled. “The fact is, Tom, we’re opposing counsel in a case that’s been running along since last winter, and we’ve had to hammer each other pretty hard in court. But I don’t know that need keep us from fraternising at a ball game. You’d better go over and rescue him. He’s looking for a place to sit down, and the bench is full.” But Sam had seen the newcomer and yielded his seat to him when Tom arrived. Mr. Hall, protesting, sat down and then listened to Tom’s message. “I pitch?” he said finally. “Why, Pollock, I haven’t had a baseball in my hand for years! I’d like to oblige you, but I’d make a mess of it. You’ll do it twice as well as I could.” “If Tom gets into trouble,” suggested Sam, “you might try it, Mr. Hall. Would you?” “Why, yes, I suppose so, if I’m really needed. But give me a chance to limber up, fellows. My arm’s pretty stiff, I guess. Swinging a golf club isn’t quite the same as pitching a baseball. How does it come, though, that you’re letting them use that man? Looks to me like a professional, Pollock.” “Well, sir, we haven’t any sort of an agreement as to who’s to play. It doesn’t seem quite fair to call on chaps as old as he is, but as they’ve done it we thought we could.” “I’d say you had every right to, but if I were you I’d see if I couldn’t pull through with my regular players. Then if you do win you’ll have something to be proud of. How do you, Mr. Talbot? Glad to see you again.” Mr. Hall arose and the two lawyers shook hands in a friendly way. “For once, I take it, we’re both on the same side!” “That’s so,” Mr. Talbot replied, with a smile. “We’ll bury our hatchets for this afternoon. Are you going to help these chaps out, Mr. Hall?”