Boxer generously retaliated, and as the teams ran for the dressing-rooms Langridge, pale and with trembling hands, stepped out. He was dressed in his street garments, and without a word to his chums, he started across the diamond for the grandstand. "He's going over to her," thought Tom, and the joy of the victory he had helped to win was embittered for him. "Parsons, you did splendidly!" cried Mr. Lighton. "I congratulate you with all my heart. If it hadn't been for you, we'd have lost the game." "Oh, I don't know about that." "Yes, we would. You're the regular pitcher on this team for the remainder of the season, subject, of course, to the confirmation of Captain Woodhouse." "Whatever you say," assented Kindlings, but he looked a bit uncomfortable. "There are only two more games," went on the coach, "one out of town next Saturday, and then comes the final struggle with Fairview. If we win that, we'll have the pennant." "Oh, we'll win!" cried Holly Cross. "Look who's going to pitch for us." "I don't know about that," replied Tom with a laugh, but he was silenced with cheers. "Well, I want you to win that game," concluded the coach as he walked off the diamond and the team got ready to go back to Randall. CHAPTER XXXI LANGRIDGE APPEALS While the stage coach in which the players had come from Randall was being gotten ready to take the victorious nine back Tom strolled across the diamond toward the grandstand. He wanted to be alone for a moment and think, for he had many ideas in his mind, and they were not all connected with his recent work in the pitcher's box. A certain bright-eyed girl figured largely in them. "I thought she'd given him up," he said to himself. "Well, of course, it's none of my affair, but----" There generally was a "but," Tom felt. The crowd was nearly gone and he was about to turn back and join his chums. Suddenly he became aware of a girlish figure alone in the big stand. He looked to make sure who it was, for at the first glimpse he had felt that it was she of whom he was thinking. As he did so the girl looked at him. It was Miss Tyler, and Tom noticed that there were tears in her eyes. He saw nothing of Langridge as he hastened toward her. "Why, Madge--Miss Tyler!" he exclaimed, "what is the matter? Have you lost anything? Are you alone? I thought Fred Langridge was going----" She stamped her little foot. "Please don't speak his name to me!" she exclaimed. Tom opened his eyes. "Why--why----" he stammered. "He came over to me in--in no proper condition to escort me home," she went on tearfully. "Oh, Tom, I'm--I'm so miserable!" She acted as though she were going to break down and cry in real earnest, and Tom was on the anxious edge, for he hated to see girls weep. But she mastered herself with an effort. "May I take you back to Haddonfield?" he asked.