"Why, those are real fine, Phil," said Jack, as he looked the articles over.

"You don't mean to say you did all of this work with a knife?"

questioned Andy admiringly.

"Every bit of it," was the reply.

"They are beautiful," was Randy's comment, after an inspection.

"Better than you could buy in the stores," added Fred.

"I'm pleased to know that you like my son's handiwork," said John Franklin.

"They are real good," said Jack. "But we don't feel like taking these things without giving you something in return," he added hastily.

"Oh, that's all right!" cried Phil Franklin. "You've done enough for us already. You keep the things and don't say anything more about it."

"And so you're really going back to Texas?" questioned Fred, after the presents had been inspected again.

"Yes, we're going to start to-morrow noon," answered John Franklin.

"I've got a little money together now, and I'm going back to see if I can't put a crimp in those oil-well sharpers who did me out of my farm."

"Well, I certainly hope you get the best of those fellows if they swindled you," said Randy heartily.

The conversation lasted half an hour longer, and during that time Randy and Jack excused themselves and slipped off to their rooms. When they came back they had a small package containing two of their best story books.

"Here are a couple of books which perhaps you'll like to read on the trains," said Jack. "We want you to accept them with the compliments of all of us."

"Oh, story books!" And Phil Franklin's eyes lit up with pleasure. "I love to read. Are you sure you can spare them?" And when they said they could he continued: "That suits me immensely."

A little later father and son took their departure.

"Pretty nice people," was Jack's comment. "I certainly hope they get their rights."

This meeting took place on the day when Longley Academy played Columbus Academy. The cadets, remembering the score between Hixley High and Longley, were very anxious to know how the Columbus team would fare against the new school.

"Well, Longley wins again!" exclaimed Ned Lowe, who came in with the news.

"What was the score?" questioned Gif with much interest.

"Eleven to two."

"You don't mean it!" cried Spouter. "Why, that's worse than the game they took from Hixley High!"

"One thing is certain: The Longley team knows how to play," said Jack decidedly. "We may not like Tommy Flanders and his bunch, but, just the same, you've got to hand it to 'em for knowing how to put it across."

"It looks to me as if we might be in for a defeat," remarked another cadet.

"Defeat! Don't talk that way, Leeds," stormed Gif. "Colby Hall is going to win!"

"Well, I hope so, but I'm afraid you'll be disappointed," answered Leeds. He was a new pupil, and was of a decidedly pessimistic turn of mind.

The victories of Longley over Hixley and Columbus served one good purpose. It caused Gif to call his team together and read them a stern lecture.

"We are evidently up against a bunch of real ball players," said the captain. "We've got to buckle down in this contest and do our very best, and then some. I want every man to practice all he can from now on. And when the time comes I want every man to play the game with all the brains and all the nerve that are in him."

Longley Academy being devoted, as mentioned before, very largely to physical culture and athletics, had an extra fine baseball grounds with a beautiful new grandstand and bleachers. The new school was anxious to show off these grounds, and so had insisted that the game be played there, and this had been agreed to after it was announced that one half of the stands should be set aside for the cadets of Colby Hall and their friends.

It had been noised about that this game was to be "for blood," so that when the time came for the contest the grounds were overflowing with people. Everybody from Colby Hall and Longley was there, and in addition quite a respectable crowd from Hixley, Columbus, and from Clearwater Hall. There was also a scattering of people from the town and the surrounding districts.

"Oh, Jack, aren't you nervous?" questioned Martha, when he met the girls from Clearwater.

"If I am I'm not going to show it," he replied to his sister.

"Jack, I'm going to root harder than I ever did in my life," said Ruth, as she held up a banner marked Colby Hall and another marked Clearwater Hall.

"We're all going to root," declared May Powell.

The stands were speedily filled to overflowing, and there was a large crowd a.s.sembled behind the foul line on either side of the diamond.

There was a loud cheering when the Colby Hall nine appeared, and a like cheer when the Longley players put in an appearance.

"Hurrah for Colby Hall!"

"Three cheers for Longley Academy!"

"Here is where the cadets walk off with another one!"

"Not much! Here is where Longley snows you under!"

And so the gibes and comments ran on, while every once in a while wild cheering rang out, mingled with the noise of horns and rattles.

The toss-up sent Longley to the bat first, and with a cheer from his friends Jack took the ball and walked down to the box.

"Now then, fellows, swat it good and plenty!" cried Tommy Flanders. "We want about half a dozen runs the first inning."

"He doesn't want much," murmured Fred.

The first man up was a heavy hitter named Durrick. He had one strike and two b.a.l.l.s called, and then sent a low one to left field which gave him first base with ease.

"Hurrah, boys! Keep it a-going!" cried Tommy Flanders, dancing around joyously.

The second man up knocked two fouls and then a short fly to third. But then came another safe hit to right field which took the batter to first while the other runner gained third.

"Take it easy, old man," cautioned Gif, as he came up to speak to Jack.

"Don't let them rattle you."

"They are not going to rattle me," answered Jack st.u.r.dily.

He gritted his teeth, and then sent in three swift b.a.l.l.s so quickly that the next batsman was taken completely by surprise and was declared out almost before he knew it.