"Well, maybe I can get around that," was the untroubled reply. "I'll say that the folks at the Point are so certain that their team will win that they're willing to offer any sort of inducement for a third game."

"You've got some imagination," laughed Gordon.

"Have to have in my business," replied Mr. Potter with satisfaction.

"You trust me to work up the excitement, fellows. Stevens says I can go the limit. We'll print your score-cards for you, and-that reminds me.

How about a band? Ought to have a band there, oughtn't we?"

"Bands cost a good deal," Gordon objected.

"What of it? Why, say, we'll have three or four hundred folks to see that game! We'll get 'em in from the country and over from Springdale and Corwin and from miles around. It might be a good idea--" Mr.

Potter paused and stared into s.p.a.ce a moment. Then he nodded vehemently.

"That's the scheme! I'll get the store-keepers to shut up shop that afternoon. Maybe Toppan will declare a public holiday."

Mr. Toppan was the Mayor, and the boys stared in amazement.

"Why-why he wouldn't do that, would he?" gasped Gordon. "Not just for a ball game?"

"Sure, he would, if the _Reporter_ got after him hard. Say, you see that Point fellow, whatever his name is, and let me know by day after to-morrow. And don't put it off too long. Let's strike while the iron's hot. Folks want to see baseball now. In another three weeks it'll be about out of season. Well, that's all. Glad to have met you fellows."

Mr. Potter shook hands briskly. "We'll give Clearfield a ball game she won't forget! Good-night. I'll see you again in a day or two."

CHAPTER XIX

MR. POTTER GETS BUSY

When he was gone the two boys looked at each other a moment and then began to laugh.

"Rather takes your breath away, doesn't he?" gasped Gordon.

"I should say so! And of all crazy stunts--"

"Get out! It's going to be a heap of fun! I'm for it-strong!"

"So I see. But maybe the Pointers won't care to take part in such a silly affair."

"Why not? Why, we'll offer them twenty-five per cent. of the gate receipts and they'll be dead anxious."

"Pshaw! They don't need any money. What would they do with it?"

"Do with it? Why-why, what would anyone do with it? Eat it, of course!"

"That's what I'd like to know. What are _we_ going to do with it, for instance?"

"Oh, there's a lot of things we can do with it, d.i.c.k. We might-might give it to charity or-or-oh, lots of things!"

"Well, we're in for it, anyway. I'll talk to Caspar to-morrow. I guess two weeks from next Sat.u.r.day would be a good date. The trouble is they've got a lot of games arranged and they may not be able to play us."

"You tell them what this Potter chap says and whoop it up, d.i.c.k. They can cancel a game if they want to."

True to his word, Mr. Potter started the ball rolling the next morning.

The _Reporter_ contained an announcement on the front page under a big head:

MAY PLAY OFF TIE CLEARFIELD AND RUTTER'S POINT BALL TEAMS NEGOTIATE FOR THIRD GAME-BITTER RIVALRY EXISTS

"Who has the better ball team, Clearfield or Rutter's Point? That's the question that is agitating both this community and the summer colony at the end of the trolley. And, if present plans carry, it is a question that will soon be settled definitely, and, we hope, to the satisfaction of Clearfield. Negotiations are to be opened to-day between representatives of the two teams looking to a third and deciding contest to be played on the High School field some time between now and the end of the month. Each nine has won one game and each nine claims to be a little better than the other. Over at the Point they are so certain that they have the champion bunch of players that they're willing to do most anything to secure another game with Clearfield. At this end of the line there is an equally strong conviction to the effect that our own aggregation has more than a shade on the Point team. That's the way it stands now, but the _Reporter_ hopes to be able to announce in another day or two that the managers and backers of the rival teams have met and agreed on a deciding game. In which case we predict that those who are fortunate enough to witness the final battle will see a struggle they won't forget in a long time. Watch for developments!"

Besides that highly-colored effusion there was a short editorial inside in which the writer extolled athletics in general and baseball in particular. In twenty lines the writer alluded to Greek athletes, Roman games, Christopher Mathewson, Tyrus Cobb, the American Eagle, the Spirit of Fair Play and Clearfield. The style of the two productions was so much alike that d.i.c.k and Gordon decided that Mr. Potter was responsible for both.

"I hope," said d.i.c.k, "that Caspar won't see this until I've prepared him for it. He will think we've gone crazy!"

As it happened, however, Caspar Billings was much too busy playing tennis that morning to read the _Clearfield Reporter_, and when d.i.c.k met him he knew nothing of Mr. Potter's activities. But five minutes later he had found the paper and was chuckling enjoyably over the story. "It's great!" he declared. "That fellow ought to be working in New York. He's lost in Clearfield. Say, we'll have more fun than a picnic out of this, Lovering. What sort of a prize did he say?"

"A cup or a phonograph or-or something like that."

"Me for a phonograph!" laughed Caspar. "Now, when can we play? Of course, we'll go over to your field. Have to, anyway. How about two weeks from Sat.u.r.day?"

"That's the day I was going to suggest," replied d.i.c.k.

"That's all right for us. We had a game scheduled with a nine from the Ocean House at Traskville, but they telephoned the other day that they couldn't make up a team. That gives What's-his-name, your newspaper friend, a fortnight to work up the excitement. And I'll bet you he will do it!"

"I guess there's no doubt about that," replied d.i.c.k. "That's settled, then, and I'll let Potter know. Did I tell you he wanted to get the Mayor to declare a holiday and have the stores close?"

"Great Scott, no!" chuckled Caspar. "He's a wonder. Say, why don't you suggest to him that it would be a bully idea to have the Governor issue a proclamation? Wonder if the New York stock market will close, Lovering."

"It will if Potter thinks of it," laughed d.i.c.k. "Well, I must be going.

I'll see you again next week and we'll arrange about an umpire."

"_An_ umpire!" scoffed Caspar. "We'll have to have two of them for this game; one at the plate and one on bases. Maybe your friend Potter can persuade President Johnson to officiate. This is going to be some game, Lovering!"

"It's going to be a circus," replied d.i.c.k. "I dare say they'll be selling popcorn and peanuts there!"

"Sure to! Well, so long. Tell Potter I'm crazy about it. By the way, how are you and young Townsend getting on? Loring told me yesterday that the kid thinks you're about the finest thing that ever walked on-I mean--"

"Ever hobbled on two crutches," laughed d.i.c.k. "Well, Harold and I pull together pretty well these days. The boy is really working like a slave, Billings. I didn't think he could do it."

"He's a heap more decent than he was the first of the season. You always wanted to kick him then. Now he behaves like a real fellow. I suppose he's told you he is our official scorer now? He doesn't do so badly, either. If you criticize his way of scoring he looks at you haughtily and says, 'This is the way Lovering does it, and he knows!'"

"You'll have to lay the blame on me, then, if your scorer doesn't do you justice, Billings. Good-bye!"

It was Fudge who most delighted in the sensational aspect of the third contest with Rutter's Point. Fudge loved excitement and color and romance, and for that reason the _Reporter's_ daily items about the soul-stirring event filled him with joy. He started a sc.r.a.p-book and almost filled it with the amazing articles that appeared from Mr.

Potter's feverish and versatile pen. On the morning after d.i.c.k's call on Caspar Billings the _Reporter_ blazed forth at the top of the third column of the first page as follows:

THIRD GAME AGREED ON

CLEARFIELD AND RUTTER'S POINT TO PLAY OFF TIE ON AUG. 27-LOCAL CHAMPIONSHIP AT STAKE-WHAT CAPTAINS SAY.