the high jump, trying the hurdles, so as to perfect themselves
against the coming Saturday when the wonderful event was to come off;
sprinting for the short races of fifty, or a hundred yards; throwing
the discus or the hammer, and numerous other lively doings.

Among these participants there were a number whom the reader of
previous volumes in this series will readily recognize, and possibly
gladly meet again. There was Alan Tyree, for instance, whose
masterly pitching had done so much to land the pennant of the Three
Town High School League that season for Scranton; Owen Dugdale, the
efficient shortstop of the local nine; "Just" Smith, whose real name
it happened was Justin, but who seldom heard it outside of school and
home. He was a fleet runner, and had ably filled the position of
left fielder when Scranton carried the school colors to victory over
Allandale in that last heart-breaking game. Besides these, Joe
Danvers was on deck, doing all sorts of wonderful stunts at throwing
the hammer and taking the long jump, for Joe delighted in a variety
of specialties and did not confine himself to any one particular
thing; also might be seen one Claude Hastings, a chap who was a
regular monkey in his way, and who always kept the crowd laughing by
his antics, such as might be expected of a prize clown at the big
Barnum and Bailey circus.

Yes, and there was Nick Lang, as big as life, running like the wind
around the cinder-path and looking as though he might have a pretty
fair chance to carry off some sort of prize. Nick had for a long
time been the town bully. He was not a rich man's son; in fact,
Nick's folks were poor, and some people even thought the big,
overgrown boy should be at work helping to keep the wolf from the
door, instead of still attending high school and making himself a