are almost down and out.  And boys, I’m right glad that you’re here with us to see the mask removed, and Brother Lu stand out in his true colors.  Matilda has stood the test, and proved to me that her heart is of pure gold.  She deserves everything that is coming to her.  Now, I know you boys haven’t lost your appetites, if the rest of us are too happy to think much of eating; so let’s get busy, and do justice to this little spread, given in honor of Tilly’s birthday!”

Which they accordingly did, and it would hardly be proper in any one to tell how much Thad ate, and how both of them felt that they were seeing one of the most enjoyable occasions in their entire lives.  And later on the boys were taken home in the big car, to rest up a bit, so as to be in trim for the game with Belleville that afternoon.

CHAPTER XIX

SCRANTON HIGH EVENS MATTERS UP

The match with Belleville proved a walkover for Scranton, much to the delight of all the local rooters, and the utter humiliation of the boys from the neighboring town.  Tyree was at his very best, which meant that few among the Belleville batsmen could touch his slants and drops and speedy balls.

They fought gamely to the very last, as all sturdy players of the National game should, hoping for a turn in the tide; but in the end found themselves snowed under by a score of eleven to two.  Those runs were actually gifts, for in the end Tyree slowed up, and almost “lobbed” a few over the plate, as though wishing to take a little of the sting of defeat away; though that is never a safe practice for any pitcher to do.  Still, eleven to nothing would have been rubbing it into the Belleville fellows pretty roughly.

On the following Saturday Allandale had a last whirl at Belleville.  This time the boys of the third town took a brace, and for a time put up quite a creditable game.  Big Patterson, however, was too much for them, and after the seventh inning they lost all hope of winning.  But the score was six to four, which might be considered a little hopeful.

So Belleville, having lost all the games thus far played in which she took part, was consequently eliminated as a contending factor in the race for the pennant of the Three Town High School League.

This left it between Scranton and Allandale.  The latter team had a big advantage to start with, since they were already one game to the good.  But Scranton still had faith in Tyree, and if things broke half-way decently in the next game they fully expected to make their adversaries “take their dust,” as Thad expressed it.

During this time, of course, the wonderful happenings at the Hosmer cottage had become town talk.  Everybody was greedily drinking in such details of the story as they could manage to gather up.

Acting under the directions of Brother Lu, now known to every one as the rich owner of the Hoover place, Mr. Luther Corbley, Hugh and Thad did not hesitate to relate everything they knew, which, in fact, covered the story from beginning to end.  It thrilled all Scranton, and would be related many times over as weeks and months passed by.  There had never been anything to compare with it in the annals of all Scranton, or any other town in the county, for that matter.