The Red Cloud chief., 1898-06-10
YHE CHAMPIONSHIP,


Dire cJnstCrnation seized upon thr
members of the iiillvicw Base BAIl
cub. when it became known that Char
Ne II nike would not be able to pitch
for them ON the momrntous ith ~ Au-
gust.
Hes GOT to- cried Tom Andrew',
cxcitcdly; why, fellows, it will hicah
us all up II he don't"
cant We helped" sail Jack RodE-
crs. dismally. his folks are gong to
move a long way OF. and. of course,
he's sot to go with thin. He's just as
much Cut-up about it rs We are.
They looked at each other with
blank, frightening faces. They had
been working hard for three years to
win the county championship, and had
always been .Cnrcd out ot the contest
before the season was half over. But
this year the fortunes oi the NiiI''oWS
seemed to be on the rise. They had
played better. and one by one had beat
en- all the Clubs except the Wdicrs'"eS'
and with this crack, champion c'uh OF
the county their score was even. No
wonder that every liiIlyicw heart
thrilled at the thought of the ith OF
August. and of possible victory; ana
no wonder that there was coastorna-
ton and dismay On every face when
It was learned that their only good
pitcher was going to leave.
Might AZ well give up" grnnt"d
bill Grove. as he spitcfully kicked Il
stone from his path. " can't do any
thing without a crack pitcher to put
up against Hopkins. OF the Water
Sides and most Of the members
agreed with him.
who is the best pitcher among us
asked Rodgers. feeling that his posi-
ton as captain demanded an extra ct-
fort to rally the club. we want n
hard-handcd. quirk-cycd fellow. who
can send in IA ball like . thundcrholt.
Bill grunted dcrisivcly.
III you'll drop the hard-handcd ana
.hundcrbolt," he said, 81 guess maybe
the club can furnish II few quick eyes.
But what's the matter with Snag-
giles? I've seen him split an inch board
with his fist"
Most of them laughed and glanced
a. a queer figure sitting on the fence,
a few yards away. Snagglcs had come
down from a remote part Of the noun
tains a month or two before. and "a yet
had apparently been unable TO ossim-
Hate all the wonders around him. for
his mouth was continually open, as
though trying 10 grasp the flood If new
ideas that was surging toward him.
He was very tall and ungainly, and
very prone to make himself the laugh
ing-stock of whoever he came In rom
tact with: but he was gentle, obliS-
ing. and invariably goOd-natured. None
of the boys associated with him, except
occasionally as a Joke, and to make
him the butt OF their ridiculc. The
idea that he should be admitted 10 the
select membership of the Hiilview
Baseball Club was something that none
of them had ever entertained.
Now, | wouldn't wonder If he was
Just the man You want. Rodgers Bill
went on. sarcastically. "He can throw
a stone straighter than some Of us can
shoot. I've seen him knock a squirrel
OFF the top of a tree a hundred feet
h'Sh' w tS iOl iuiliIS E't "HiH'
once he gets them legs to going, moth
ing short of a rifle ball can catch him.
And he would be a prime ad. We
could have a baseball club and circus
all in one"
AS he expected, most of the boys
laughed again; only Jack Rogers seem
ed to take the banter seriously, for a
sudden CLEAN came into his eyes and
he glanced across TO where Snagg.cs
was intently watching them.
Il believe you've struck the nail on
the head this time, Bill, If you never
did before" he exclaimed. emphatical-
~. "lf I'm not mistaken, Snaggles is
just the man we want"
"Oh, pshaw!' Come, now Get
OUT" you're joking,' why. he's q
regular scarecrow" rose an indignan,
chorus on all sides.
Cant help 1t, fellows" Rodgers
said, sturdily. we're in a tight place
We've worked for that championship
three years, and now that it's in sight
it would be bad policy to let It sill
away. | don't know n fellow who car
take Blake's place. unless it's Srag.
gles."
But he don't know how" protested
the disconnected Bill.
I'm not so sure. He's been on thai
fence watching lis every practice day
for the last six weeks. If he has never
played, he must have a pretty good idei
how il Is done, Hello, %Snaggles.'
The caricature on the fence spranl
lightly down, and came toward them
with a peculiar, Looping gait that car.
riod him rapidly over the ground. Blu.
he paused six or eight yards away. al
though suspicious OF their intentions
"Oh, come on" called Rodgers, i'm
y patiently, "nobody's up to any game
; Ever play ball?"
! Snagglcs grinncd and shook his head
Think you could learn"
The red head bobbcd vigorously, AM
Z n quick. wondering glow spread owe