"What's up?" asked Phil. "I wonder if Ruth is going to have a blow-out again, or if Madge----"

He opened his missive and began to read it, Tom already having perused his.

"There, what did I tell you?" asked the captain. "Bascome is giving a dinner to-night, and he wants the whole 'varsity nine, and the subs, to attend. The little puppy! He gives himself as many airs as if he was a senior. Why doesn't he dine the freshman nine, if he has to blow in his money?"

"Are you going?" asked Phil.

"Going? Of course not, and none of the nine will, if they have to ask me. It will break them all up for the game to-morrow. I won't stand for it."

"What will you do?"

"Tell Leighton, and have him officially forbid it."

"Isn't that going it pretty strong? We can easily beat Michigan, even if the fellows do have a little fun to-night."

"Look how we were fooled on Dodville Prep. I'm going to take no chances.

I'll see Leighton," which Tom did, with the effect that the coach kindly, but firmly, forbade members of the 'varsity nine from dissipating at Bascome's dinner.

Sid came in a little later, picked up his invitation, and read it.

"They say Bascome gives very fine spreads," was his remark.

"You're not going, are you?" asked Tom in some surprise, for he likened Bascome to Langridge, though the latter was more of a bully, and he did not believe Sid would take up with the rich freshman.

"Why shouldn't I go?" asked Sid, and there was challenge in his tone. "I might as well have the game as the name," and he laughed uneasily.

"Why, none of the 'varsity nine are going," said Tom.

"Oh," and Sid turned aside, as he put the invitation in his pocket.

"Well, I'm not on the 'varsity any longer," and he laughed, but there was no mirth in it.

CHAPTER XIX

FAIRVIEW AND RANDALL

Tom did not reply to Sid's almost sneering allusion to the unfortunate fact that he was barred from playing. There was little the captain could say, and when Sid went to Bascome's dinner, together with a number of the more sporty students, Tom and Phil, who were in bed, did not greet their chum on his return.

"What's the matter with you fellows?" demanded Sid, as he entered the darkened room, and proceeded to get ready to retire. "You'd think I'd committed an unpardonable crime. It was a jolly crowd I was with, and nothing out of the way. Bascome isn't half bad, when you get to know him."

"Only a little fresh, that's all," remarked Phil, while Tom mumbled a few words that might have been taken for anything.

The game with Michigan the next day demonstrated in how poor a condition was Randall, for the contest nearly went by the board, and Tom only pulled it out of the fire by excellent pitching, though he was not in the best of form.

"Well, we won, anyhow," remarked Phil that night.

"Yes, but nothing to boast of. I'm worried about the Fairview game Sat.u.r.day," said the captain.

"Do we play on their grounds?"

"No, they come here."

"Well, that's something in our favor. We'll have Bean Perkins and the other shouters with us. We've just got to win, Tom!"

"I know it, but----"

"There are no 'buts,' old man," declared the genial first baseman. "Just remember that the girls will be on hand, and they mustn't see us go down to defeat twice to a co-ed college."

"No, of course not," and Tom turned in.

The following days were devoted to practice--practice harder than any yet that term, for Tom and the coach worked the men every spare hour they could devote to the diamond, outside of lecture and study hours.

Pete Backus improved wonderfully. He was not Sid's equal, but the best subst.i.tute that could be found.

"Oh, Sid, but I wish you were going to play," said Tom, with a little sigh, the night before the Fairview game.

"So do I," came in sorrowful tones from the second baseman. "But--Oh, well, what's the use of talking?" and he tried to laugh it off, but it was a poor attempt.

Fairview was on hand early with a crowd of "rooters" and supporters, both young men and maidens, the next afternoon, when the Randall team fairly leaped out on the diamond.

"I wonder if Ruth is here?" said Phil, as he stopped a particularly "hot" ball Tom threw.

"Let's take a look," suggested the pitcher, and while the grand stand and bleachers were filling up the two strolled along, scanning the hundreds of faces.

"There she is!" cried Tom at length. "Miss Tyler's with her."

"And Miss Harrison is up there, too," added Phil. "And see who's with her--Miss Harrison, I mean."

"Who?"

"Langridge."

"By Jove! you're right," agreed Tom. "I guess he came to get a line on us. Well, he'll get it."

"Queer place he picked out to see the game from," went on Phil.

"Why?"

"It'll be sunny there, after a bit," replied Phil, for part of the seating accommodations on the Randall grounds were not of the best, and some grand stands were little better than the bleachers in the matter of shade. "He'll have the sun almost in his face before the game is half over," continued the first baseman.

"Well, if it suits him, we oughtn't to kick," said Tom.

"No, I s'pose not. h.e.l.lo, if there isn't Sid, and he's going to sit right down behind Langridge and Miss Harrison."

"That's so. Maybe he doesn't see 'em. Rather awkward if he and Langridge have a run-in here. But come on, we'll say how-d'y-do to the girls, and then get at practice," and, after greeting their friends, and a.s.suring them that Fairview would go home beaten, Tom and Phil took their places with the other players.