The Lucky Seventh

in the saddle while he deliberated. So deep in thought was he that when the yellow watering cart trundled up, the driver half asleep under the blue and

he shouted.

his thoughts by the u

ed. "Are you

g. Except for the looks of that no harm had been done, for it was a hot morning in early July and the feeling of the cool water against his leg had been decidedly pleasant. Evide

t," he said to himself. "H

and all were more or less hidden from view by hedges of lilac or arbor-vit?. Old-fashioned white picket fences peeked out between the leaves of the hedges. The street itself was old-fashioned. Ten years before it had been in the

latter jumped from his bicycle and leaned it against the hitchin

es. Dick's crutches stood against the wall within reach, for Dick, as he put it, was "very fond of his crutches and never went anywhere without them." He was seventeen, a tall, nice-looking boy

e asked, viewing the

d me at the corner.

er, isn't it? You

ot a letter from Bert Cable this morning and I want you to

ked Dick as Gordon

e sort of a factory over there. He told me he was going to

miled Dick. "I

fun. Those fellows at the Point aren't anything to be scared of. You could get up a team that would wallop them easy. Tom Haley would pitch for you and Lansing could catch and you could play first. Why don't you? Anyway, you answer the letter. I'm awfully busy here and don't have much time for writing letters. This is a swell town, lots going o

y across at Dick. "What

are say t

who will?

t short," c

mean! What do you t

us glance at his crutches, "you came arou

n't see how you can always be so ch

different. Anyhow, a chap might as well be cheerful as anything else. After all, I don't miss much fun. I can't play games or run or skate or-or do a lot of things I'd like to, but I

u know more baseball and more footbal

y it as I do. They have to get out and play. I can watch and l

ant games. Will you play us? We'll play on our own field or on yours, just as you say. Any date after July 10th will suit us, Wednesdays or Saturdays preferred. Our fellows will average about the same as your team, I guess. Pl

k. "Which one of the Silk St

him particularly. He's a sort o

" asked Dick. "I suppose Morri

ch of a help, though. He pl

better than most of you fellows and that if Bert and Tom Haley and some

s, if his dad does own the town, but he's no Ty Cobb! We

fellows. Most of the school tea

and Warner Jone

e's W

is folks somewhere for the summ

e, and let's make up the team. Ha

st and Harry B

out Wil

hen for s

k Ta

s Pete Robey's the chap for short. That leaves us Way for left field and I g

you call the nine? You can't be

find a name. The Clea

ver

ughed Gordon. "We might call ourselves the

ted Dick. "Call your

Rovers! Why not just th

settled. Now you

t o

have?

ou

M

ly why I came. To tell you. You see

ghed. "But will you tell me how I

ames for us and look after the expenses and see th

ill, as it's

er fellows that they've got to do just as you say. You know m

nse

out it. That's

s with you and-and-well, you know, Gordi

ub. Besides, we'll only go over to the Point and places like that

lly want me to. I'd like it. Only, if you ch

Gordon severely. "And it will be a good thing for you, too. Take you of

ough the window," laughed Dick, "that's a bit of a joke. But have

over again after dinner. Rah for the