Cas is a good feller. Me an' him has been friends. I heard him say to Mac not to roast you the way he did. An' I wants to put you wise to somethin' myself. Mac's stuck on you. He can't keep a smile off his face when you walk up to the plate, an' when you cut loose to peg one acrost he jest stutters. Oh! he's stuck on you, all right, all right! `Boys, will you look at thet wing?' he keeps sayin'. An' when you come in he says you're rotten to yer face. Don't mind Mac's roasts."

All of which bewildered Chase only the more. Mittie-Maru chattered about baseball and the players, but he was extremely reticent in regard to himself. this latter fact, in conjunction with his shabby appearance, made Chase think that all was not so well with the lad as it might have been. He found himself returning Mittie-Maru's regard. "Good-bye," said Mittie-Maru at a cross street. " I go down here. See you to-morrer."

After supper Chase went to the hotel, and seeing that Cas was not among the players in the lobby, he found his room number, and with no little curiosity mounted the stairs.

"Come in," said Cas, in answer to his knock.

The big pitcher sat in his shirt sleeves blowing rings of smoke out of the open window.

"Hello, Chase; was waiting for you. Have a cigar. Don't smoke? Throw yourself round comfortable - but say, lock the door first. I don't want any one butting in."

Chase found considerable relief and pleasure in the friendly manner of Findlay's star pitcher.

" I want to have a talk with you, Chase. First, you won't mind a couple of questions."

" Not at all. Fire away."

"You're in dead earnest about this baseball business? "

" I should say I am."

" You are dead set on making it a success? "

" I 've got to." Chase told Cas briefly what depended on his efforts.

" I thought as much. Well, you'll find more than one fellow trying the same. Baseball is full of fellows taking care of mothers and fathers and orphans, too. People who pay to see the game and keep us fellows going don't know just how much good they are doing. Well, Chase, it takes more than speed, a good eye, and a good arm and head to make success."

" How so? "

"It's learning how to get along with managers and players. I 've been in the game ten years. Most every player who has been through the mill will let the youngster find out for himself, let him sink or swim. Even managers will not tell you everything. It's baseball ethics. I'm overstepping it because - well, because I want to. I don't mind saying that you 're the most promising youngster I ever saw.