It was rather discomfiting to awaken to the fact that even in quest of fortune meals were necessary.

A column of blue smoke was curling lazily from one of the cottages, and thither Chase made his way. He knocked on the kitchen door, which was opened by a woman.

" Good-morning," said Chase. " May I have a bite to eat?" "You ain't a tramp?" queried she, eying him shrewdly. "No, indeed. I can pay."

" I thought not. Tramps don't say Good-mornin. I reckon you kin hev somethin'. Sit on the bench there." She brought him milk, and bread and butter, and a generous slice of ham. While he was eating, a boy came out to gaze at him with round eyes, and later a lanky man with pointed beard walked up the path, his boots wet with dew.

" Mornin'," he said cheerily, " be yew travellin' fur? "

" Quite far, I guess," replied Chase. "How far is Columbus, or the first big place? "

" Wal, now, Columbus is a mighty long way, much as fifty miles, I calkilate. An' the nearest town to hum here is Jacktown, cross fields some five miles. It's a right pert place. It'll be lively today, by gum! "

"Why?" said Chase, with his mouth full of ham.

" Wal, Jacktown an' Brownsville hev it out today, an' I'll bet it'll be the dog-gondest ball game as ever was."

"Ball game!"

" You bet. Jacktown ain't ever been beat, an' nuther has Brownsville.

They've been some time gittin' together, but today's the day. An' I'll be there."

"I'm going, too," said Chase, quietly. "I'm a ball player." After Chase had crossed this Rubicon he felt more confident. He knew he would have to say it often, and he wanted practice. And the importance of his declaration was at once manifest in the demeanor of the man and the boy.

" Wal, I swan! You be, be you? I might hev knowed it, a strappin' young feller like you."

The boy's round eyes grew rounder and took on the solemn rapture of hero worship.

"How might I find my way to Jacktown?" inquired Chase.

"You might wait an' ride with me. Thet road leads over, round about. You can't miss it."

"Thank you, I shan't wait. I'll walk over. Good-day." Chase headed into the grassy lane without knowing exactly why. The word " game " had attracted him, as well as the respective merits of the two teams; but it was mostly that he wanted to play. After consideration, it struck him that he would do well to get into a few games before he made application to a salaried team.

He spent the morning lounging along, the green lane, sitting under a tree, and on a mossy bank of a brook, and killing time in pretty places, so that when he reached Jacktown it was noon.

At the little tavern where he had lunch the air was charged with the electricity of a coming storm. The place was crowded with youths and men of homely aspect; all were wildly excited over the baseball game. He was regarded with an extraordinary amount of interest; and finally, when a tall individual asked him if he were a ball player, to be answered affirmatively, there was a general outburst.

" He's a ringer! Brownsville knowed they 'd git beat with their home team, so they've loaded up ! "

That was the burden of their refrain, and all Chase's stout denials in no wise mitigated their suspicion. He was a " ringer." To them he was an object of scorn and fear, for he had come from somewhere out of the vast unknown to wrest their laurels from them.

Outside little groups had congregated on corners and in the street, and sud! denly, as by one impulse, they gathered in a crowd before the tavern. Ample reason there was for this, because some scout had sighted the approach of the visiting team. Chase gathered that Brownsville was an adjoining country town, and, since time out of mind, a hated rival.

Wagons and buggies, vehicles of all kinds and descriptions, filed by on the way to the ball-grounds; and a hay-wagon with a single layer of hay and a full load of husky young men, stopped before the tavern. The crowd inspected the load of young men with an anxiety most manifest, and soon remarks were heard testifying that the opposing team had grace enough to come with but one ringer.

The excitement, enthusiasm, and hubbub were amusing to Chase.