“Well, I haven’t, if you want me to give you the honest truth,” said Thad, bluntly; “in my humble opinion any husky man who is willing to loaf around and let a delicate woman like Matilda Hosmer labor for his support doesn’t deserve a grain of pity.  Remember, Hugh, I’m not referring to her husband, who is a good fellow, and doing all he can to get his strength back again, so he can go to his trade, and allow her to take things easier.  I’m going to tell my folks all about it.  The women of this town ought to do something to influence Mrs. Hosmer, if she persists in letting that hulk of a lazybones stay with her, and be fed at her expense.”

“That might be a bright idea, in good time,” assented Hugh.  “Surely our mothers would know how to manage, and could get Matilda to give the man his walking papers; though on second thought I really believe she would refuse, even if they declared they would have to decline to assist her further unless she chased Brother Lu away from her cottage home.  He knows her character, too, because you remember how he told us Matilda always was a tender-hearted thing, and would not stand by and see a wretched dog suffer if she could prevent it by any personal sacrifice.”

Thad did not reply immediately, but made a number of highly significant gestures, of a nature to cause Hugh to fancy the other were punching some fellow’s head in a satisfactory fashion.  And somehow actions spoke louder than words in that case.

“Don’t let this queer business weigh too heavily on your mind, Thad,” warned the other, as they prepared to separate.  “We’ve got a game ahead of us, remember, and it’s mighty important that the catcher behind the bat should keep his wits about him.”

“I guess I know all that, Hugh,” chuckled Thad.  “Once I get to playing ball, and there’s going to be nothing interfere with my work as a backstop.  I’m feeling in tip-top condition right now, and everything working right expect to be a factor in bringing Belleville down into the dust day after tomorrow.”

“Once we get that game pulled off,” observed Hugh, “and we won’t have another championship one for two weeks, because Allendale and Belleville meet the next Saturday, though we expect to play another team from Jenkintown, just to keep our hands in, you know.  Our next job will be to hustle with that strong Allendale combination, that broke up everything last season, and went through with only one defeat.”

“But next week, with nothing on our hands, Hugh, we can turn our attention to this miserable business again, can’t we?”

“Why, I know of no reason to prevent it,” observed the other.  “Let’s hope that by then Brother Lu will have decided town life is too dull for him, and be once more holding down the railroad ties in his journeying through the country.  I’ve read that it’s mighty hard for a genuine tramp to settle down to any civilized sort of existence.  You see, they’re of a sort of migrating gypsy breed, and get as uneasy as a fish out of water when stalled for any length of time.”