"Lots of people are due for a surprise, then, let me tell you," said Hugh. "But, of course, just as you say, I wouldn't dare take any fellow out as long as he was working his best, and substituting Nick. It would raise a howl, to be sure. But, Thad, if the time should ever come when we're up against a hard proposition, with defeat staring us in the face, and one of our team was injured, I'd grab at Nick like a drowning man does at a plank floating near." "One lucky thing happened for us, Hugh, anyhow." "You're referring to the toss of the coin that gave us the choice of grounds for the game, and will force Keyport to journey over here on Saturday, eh, Thad?" "Yes, that's what I had in mind. Captain Mossman seemed to be a pretty fine sort of chap, too, I thought, when he dropped in on us yesterday afternoon to look the place over; because it seems he's never played before in Scranton." "Well, Scranton was hardly on the map until this year," Hugh laughed. "However, some of our neighboring towns have already learned that Scranton is alive and wide-awake." "Just what they have, Hugh, and there are other surprises coming for them, too. I noticed that you cut out all play while the Keyport chap was with us. Didn't want him to get a line on our methods, I suppose?" "It might give them a little advantage, you see, and weaken our play. Some of the Scranton boys have gone over to Keyport to see what's doing there. They bring back great reports of the confidence shown in the team; but Coach Leonard has positively forbidden any member of our Seven to make the trip. He says it smacks too much of spying to please him." "Oh! that's drawing the line pretty tight, Hugh. Lots of players in the baseball world try their level best to get a line on a pitcher who is going to oppose them, and consider it legitimate enough." "Well, they are professionals, to begin with," said the other; "and business is business with them. But, right or wrong, there's going to be no spying on our part, so long as Mr. Leonard has charge of the athletic end of the game at Scranton. You can depend on that every time." "There's Owen now; he wasn't at practice this afternoon, I wonder why?" exclaimed Thad, as they sighted another boy coming toward them. "He looks as if he might be bursting with some sort of news, Hugh. Now I wonder what he's run up against." Owen quickly arrived. His face did have an eager look, and his eyes were fairly dancing with some sort of emotion. "Hugh, I've got something to tell you!" he burst out with, at which Thad shot a knowing glance toward his chum, which said as plain as could be: "There, what did I say to you?" "All right, Owen, relieve yourself of the load right away, before you burst," Hugh went on to advise, in his pleasant fashion. "It's about a certain chap who's under suspicion right now of having been implicated in that breaking into the Kramer store and robbing it."