Dalzell and Holmes were other members of the school nine squad who had been picked for this first game. Purcell was to catch, making perhaps, the strongest battery pair that Gridley High School had ever put in the field. Half of Dick & Co. were to make up a third of the nine in its first battle. "I'm getting a bit scared," muttered Dan, the Friday afternoon before the Saturday game. "Now, cut all that out," Dick advised. "If you don't I'll report you to the coach and captain." This was said with a grin, and Dick went on earnestly: "Dan, the scared soldier is always a mighty big drag in any battle. It takes two or three other good soldiers to look after him and hold him to duty." "I'll admit, for myself, that I wish the druggist knew of some sort of pill that would give me more confidence for this confounded old first game," muttered Greg Holmes. "I can tell you how to get the pill put up," Prescott hinted. "I wish you would, then." But Greg spoke dubiously. "Tell the druggist to use tragacanth paste to hold the pill together." "Yes?-----" followed Greg. "And tell the druggist to mix into each pill a pound of good old Yankee ginger," wound up Prescott. "Take four, an hour apart before the game to-morrow." "Then I'd never play left field," grinned Greg. "Yes, you would. You'd forget your nervousness. Try it, Greg." The three were walking up Main Street, when they encountered Laura Bentley and Belle Meade. "What are you going to do to-morrow?" asked Laura, looking at the trio, keenly. "Are you going to win for the glory and honor of good old Gridley?" "Dick is," smiled Greg. "Dan and I are going to sit at the side and use foot-warmers." "You two aren't losing heart, are you?" asked Belle, looking at Dick Prescott's companions with some scorn. "N-n-not if you girls are all going to take things as seriously as that," protested Greg. "Every Gridley High School girl expects the nine to win to-morrow," spoke Laura almost sternly. "Then we're going to win," affirmed Dan Dalzell. "On second thought, I'll sell my footwarmers at half the cost price." "That's the way to talk," laughed Belle. "Now, remember, boys---though Dick doesn't need to have his backbone stiffened---if you boys haven't pride enough in Gridley to carry you through anything, the Gridley High School girls are heart and soul in the game. If you lose the game to-morrow don't any of you ever show up again at a class dance!" The girls went away laughing, yet they meant what they said. Gridley girls were baseball fans and football rooters of the most intense sort.