"The chap who doesn't take things too seriously is generally the one who gets there," said Dave. "It's the easiest way to prevent your nerves from getting all in a tension." "By George, that's right!" cried Charlie. "I knew you'd come around to our way of thinking," said Tom, delightedly. The squad felt that a great deal depended upon the outcome of the game with Engleton. And each member was chuck full of courage and determination as he sallied out upon the field. They found the Engleton lads rather older and heavier than themselves. One of the principal characteristics of their coach, a boisterous young man named Finn, was the habit of making humorous remarks, and, as his voice was of a caliber suitable for an auctioneer, his jokes sent ripples of mirth all over the field. The game, as summed up tersely by Alf Boggs, was: "A nothing to three fizzle, with the high school holding the doughnut." His disconsolate audience was gathered before the fence near home plate, their sad eyes showing no signs of brightening. Even several exceptionally humorous remarks by Mr. Finn passed unnoticed. Suddenly they became aware of the fact that something not down on the bill was taking place. Dan Brown, Owen Lawrence and Earl Roycroft, followed by all the "outlaw" candidates, were winding in a serpentine fashion--this movement being occasioned by the constantly shifting crowds--toward home plate. "Mr. Finn," began "Crackers," "I'd like to have a word with you." "Nobody who ever did got stung," said the coach, pleasantly. "We"--"Crackers" waved his arm to include the grinning group behind him--"wish to ask a small favor." "It can't be too small to suit me," laughed Mr. Finn. "I am forming a baseball nine----" "What! Is there a baseball nine at this school?" cried the coach, in well-feigned astonishment. "We wish to state most emphatically that there is--just one; no more," returned "Crackers," "and our great desire is to prove it." The members of the Engleton team crowded around. "How are you going to do it, Jack?" asked one, familiarly. "Well, Bill, it's this way." Brown beamed benignly over the steel frame of his spectacles. "If you have any open dates for next week, and are willing to play us, the thing is as good as done." "How about it, Finn?" asked the captain of the Engletons. The eyes of the visiting coach roamed over the forms of the "outlaws." "Suits me all right, Beebe," he answered. "We can't thank you too much, Mr. Finn," said "Crackers," mildly. "Here's a chap"--his hand indicated Roycroft--"who is warranted to bat anything hittable over the out-fielders' heads. We have some birds in this bunch. Bush, our pitcher, requires only nine balls to put out a side; he nearly always does it. We've an infield that a ball wouldn't go by if it had a chance. Baseball as we play it can only be seen at the big league games. I shall ask our esteemed friend, Mr. Bill, to remember what I say."