A shout arose from the boys, but Gus only glowered at Walter. In a moment the latter continued: “Dan decided this summer that he would take the little money he had made and saved by raising hogs and doing other little jobs, like rowing for the men that wanted to go fishing on Six Town Pond, and go to school. He had about decided that he would go to the normal school, for he’d have a chance there to work and pay for part of his board, and there wasn’t any tuition to pay for anyway. My father heard of Dan’s plan and he told him that if he would room with me and do me good he would send him to the Tait School. Now, the way I look at it, it’s Dan who is doing the favor――――” “Of course he is!” broke in Hodge warmly. “It was mighty good of him to come, I think. I guess if he hadn’t shown that he had that ‘fade-away’ ball Gus wouldn’t have kicked. It’s too bad, Gussie,” he added with a laugh, as he turned to his companion. “You’re a near-pitcher anyway, and that’s something, you know.” “Why didn’t you go out and hire some professional to take Ned’s place as catcher?” demanded the angry Gus. “Oh, Ned’s all right. He’ll learn how to hold the new pitcher when he has had a little more practice.” Hodge looked at Ned, who had been thoughtfully silent throughout the quarrel, and laughed as he spoke. “I don’t believe in it!” declared Gus, “and I’ll bet you that Doctor Sprague won’t either, when he finds out about it.” “Run and tell him now, Gussie,” suggested Smith. “I’m no telltale.” “All right, then,” said Smith. “If Doctor Sprague doesn’t hear of it, we’ll believe you.” “He’ll know without my telling him.” “Oh, no he won’t, Gussie boy.” “Yes, he will,” said Dan quietly. “Who’ll tell him?” “I shall.” “You!” exclaimed Gus. “Yes,” replied Dan. “I don’t want to play on the nine if there is any question about my right.” “You’re all right,” said Hodge. “All you have to do is to saw wood.” “I guess he can do that,” sneered Gus. “He can, if he can do it as well as he can pitch――or stick hogs!” retorted Walter. CHAPTER XIX SCHOOL LIFE “You stirred up the animals, Walter,” said Hodge after Gus had taken his departure. “Don’t do it any more. Gussie is all right enough if you don’t bear on too hard. Look at the shoulders on him. No wonder he’s the next to the best boxer in school. The trouble with him is that he counted upon being the pitcher on the school nine next spring, that’s all. It’s a little bit rough, you know, to be waked up by an earthquake.” “He stands about as much chance of being pitcher as I do of being King of Timbuctoo or of Oshkosh,” sniffed Walter. “He doesn’t have a ghost of a show if Richards can do again what he did to-day,――strike out the three heaviest hitters on the nine,” laughed Ned. “Yes, and strike out each of them twice in succession,” added Walter.