Ferry Hill had won, but she had won on errors largely, and the outlook for the deciding game, when Rollins would pitch all through, was far from bright. But at least Ferry Hill had rendered that third game necessary, and that was something to be thankful for. And the fact that she had played with vim and snap and had made but two errors was encouraging. Ferry Hill went home with banners still flying and her cheers echoing back from shore to shore. And Roy, because he had accepted every chance and had played a faultless game at first-base, found himself more of a hero than ever. More practice followed, interspersed with minor contests with neighboring schools. Ferry Hill seemed to have found her pace, for she disposed of three visiting nines in short order, and on the Saturday following the Hammond victory traveled down-river and won from Prentice Military Academy by the overwhelming score of 16 to 2. Chub's spirits had risen since the last Hammond game and it was his old self that tumbled upstairs from the Junior Dormitory the next morning before rising bell and snuggled into Roy's cot. "Get over, you log," he whispered, "and give me some room." "Room! You've got the whole bed now! If Cobb sees you--" "Let him; who cares? Say, Roy, let's go fishing to-day. I feel just like it." "And get found out and put on inner bounds? No; thanks!" "We won't get found out, Roy, my boy. We'll just go for a walk this afternoon and take a couple of rods with us. "I'll borrow one for you. I've got flies to burn. We'll go to a place I know, a dandy hole; regular whales there! What do you say?" "I say you're a silly chump to risk it." "Tommy rot! Come along!" "I'll go along, but I won't fish." "What a good little boy!" "That's all right, Chub, but I don't want to go on bounds just when the Hammond game is coming along. It's only a week, you know. You take my advice and be good." "I can't be good--to-day. I feel too kittenish," added Chub with a gurgle of laughter. "There goes the bell. Will you come?" "Yes, but won't fish." "Oh, pshaw! Yes, you will. I'll borrow a rod for you anyhow." And Chub slipped out of bed and scampered downstairs again. At three o'clock two boys sauntered idly away from school in the direction of the river. One of them held himself rather stiffly and his side pocket bulged more than usual. But there was no one to notice these trivial things. Once on the river bank they doubled back and struck inland toward the Silver Cove road, Chub leading the way. "Gee!" he said, "I'll be glad when I can take these poles out! They're mighty uncomfortable." "Did you bring two?" asked Roy. "Sure! When you see the way those trout bite you'll want to take a hand yourself. I borrowed Tom's. Otto Ferris had to come nosing around and saw it, but he won't tell. If he does I'll make him wish he hadn't!" "He might tell Horace," said Roy uneasily. "If Horace thought he could get me into trouble he'd do it mighty quick."