“Yes, I heard something of that sort. I believe the matter is to come up at a meeting this week. It’s the board of aldermen, I think, who are against it. It seems that the city has established a new grade out there and the present grade is several feet below it. I suppose it means that your father would have to do a good deal of filling in if he put the street through. Otherwise the city wouldn’t accept it.” “It sounds awfully complicated to me,” said Louise. “I just wish father would change his mind about it. I almost wish the—the aldermen would tell him he couldn’t do it!” “Perhaps they will,” laughed Dick. “But in that case your father would probably build to the new grade. So there isn’t much hope, I fear. No, I guess it’s up to us to move to new quarters. It’s a queer thing that in a town of this size there isn’t a place we can use.” “I know. And that field they’re talking about now is so hard to get to! Of course, there’s the trolley, but it’s been such fun to walk out to the games and have the field so near home. Your team plays a game this afternoon, doesn’t it, Dick?” “A sort of a game. We’re going to play a team called the Live Wires at four o’clock. They’re fellows in the mills and I guess they haven’t played together much. It’ll be sort of a practice affair for us. Tom Haley can’t play and Curtis Wayland is going to pitch for us. You haven’t been to any of the games, have you?” “No one has asked me,” she laughed. “Morris has been laid up and——” “Would you care to go Saturday? We play the Hemlock Camp fellows. I guess they have a pretty good team.” “I’d love to!” “Then I——” Dick paused and frowned. “The trouble is,” he went on apologetically, “I’ll have to be on the bench a good deal of the time. Perhaps you’d rather not go.” “I shouldn’t mind. Just come and see me now and then, Dick.” “Really? Then I’ll get Gordon or one of the fellows to call for you about half-past two.” “Indeed?” asked Louise coldly. “Why Gordon—or one of the fellows, please?” “Why—why—because,” stammered Dick, “I thought probably you’d rather not—That is, I get along so slowly, you know——” “Dick Lovering, you were going to say you thought I wouldn’t want to walk with you! Weren’t you?” “Well, something of the sort. You see——” “No, I don’t see at all,” she responded with suspicious sweetness. “I shall be very glad to go to the game with you, Dick, but I refuse to be palmed off on ‘Gordon or one of the fellows!’” “Then I’ll be here for you at two-thirty, Louise. It isn’t very far, after all; only three blocks, you know.” “I ought to know,” she said dryly, “since I can see the top of the grandstand this minute. I may decide, however, that I want to go by way of the Common, Dick.” Dick smiled doubtfully. “We-ell, that’s all right. I’m game! Now I guess I’d better be getting along.” “The car just went in,” said Louise. “You’ve got nearly a quarter of an hour yet. How are you getting along with your pupil?”