Quite a little while afterward Madge remembered to tell Billie that she had been seeking her uncle. They met him and Pat Donahue, coming out of the parlor. "Where have you been all evening?" demanded Mr. Ellston. "Shure it looks as if she's signed a new manager," said Pat, his shrewd eyes twinkling. The soft glow in Madge's cheeks deepened into tell-tale scarlet; Billie resembled a schoolboy stricken in guilt. "Aha! so that's it?" queried her uncle. "Ellston," said Pat. "Billie's home-run drive today recalled his notice an' if I don't miss guess it won him another game--the best game in life." "By George!" exclaimed Mr. Ellston. "I was afraid it was Carroll!" He led Madge away and Pat followed with Billie. "Shure, it was good to see you brace, Billie," said the manager, with a kindly hand on the young man's arm. "I'm tickled to death. That ten days' notice doesn't go. See? I've had to shake up the team but your job is good. I released McReady outright an' traded Carroll to Denver for a catcher and a fielder. Some of the directors hollered murder, an' I expect the fans will roar, but I'm running this team, I'll have harmony among my players. Carroll is a great catcher, but he's a knocker." THE WINNING BALL One day in July our Rochester club, leader in the Eastern League, had returned to the hotel after winning a double-header from the Syracuse club. For some occult reason there was to be a lay-off next day and then on the following another double-header. These double-headers we hated next to exhibition games. Still a lay-off for twenty-four hours, at that stage of the race, was a Godsend, and we received the news with exclamations of pleasure. After dinner we were all sitting and smoking comfortably in front of the hotel when our manager, Merritt, came hurriedly out of the lobby. It struck me that he appeared a little flustered. "Say, you fellars," he said brusquely. "Pack your suits and be ready for the bus at seven-thirty." For a moment there was a blank, ominous silence, while we assimilated the meaning of his terse speech. "I've got a good thing on for tomorrow," continued the manager. "Sixty per cent gate receipts if we win. That Guelph team is hot stuff, though." "Guelph!" exclaimed some of the players suspiciously. "Where's Guelph?" "It's in Canada. We'll take the night express an' get there tomorrow in time for the game. An' we'll hev to hustle."