E-text prepared by Jim Ludwig
The Grammar School Boys in Summer Athletics
or, Dick & Co. Make Their Fame Secure
By H. Irving Hancock
CONTENTS
CHAPTERS
I. A Jolt on a Quiet Day
II. The Vanishing Man
III. Dick Marches His Nine On
IV. The Story of the Uniforms
V. North Grammars Play Real Ball
VI. Setting With a Teaser
VII. Ted Teall Faces the Storm
VIII. Two Rivals Plan Dire Revenge
IX. Hi Martin Tries to Make Terms
X. "Babbling Butt-in"
XI. Ted Feels the Flare-Back
XII. The North Grammar Captain Grilled
XIII. "Big Injun—-Heap Big Noise"
XIV. "Crazy as a Porous Plaster"
XV. Bluffing Up to the Bug Game
XVI. "Ted's Terrors" Full of Fight
XVII. Dodge and Ripley Hear Something
XVIII. Hi's Swimming Challenge
XIX. Dave Darrin Flashes Fire
XX. Arranging the Swimming Match
XXI. Old Dut Gives Wise Counsel
XXII. Hi Hears Something Elevating
XXIII. Who Won the Swimming Matches?
XXIV. Conclusion
Chapter I
A JOLT ON A QUIET DAY
"There's just one thing that I keep thinking about on a day likethis," Dave Darrin sighed contentedly.
"What's that?" Tom Reade wanted to know. "Supper?"
Darrin turned, favoring Reade with a flash of disgust from hislarge, dark eyes.
"I'm still waiting for the information," insisted Tom after ashort pause.
"You may as well wait," retorted Dave. "You wouldn't understandwhat I feel, anyway. Any fellow who can keep his mind on supper,on a grand June day like this——-"
"I imagine that you'll keep your mind on the meal when you reachthe table," predicted Tom, grinning.
"That'll be time enough," Dave rejoined. "But I'm not going toprofane the woods, on a perfect June day, by thinking of kitchenodors."
"Say, aren't you feeling well?" asked Tom gravely.
"That's just the point, I guess," broke in Dick Prescott, witha light laugh. "Dave is feeling so extremely well and happy——-"
"Now, you're shouting," Darrin assented. "But it's no use forpoor Reade to ponder over the glories of nature. All he can thinkof is the region bounded by his belt."
"Glories of nature?" repeated Reade. "If that's what you're talkingabout, why didn't you announce your subject earlier? Yes, sir;nature is at her greenest best to-day. Just look off throughthat line of trees, and see how the light breeze moves the topsin that field of young corn, and——-"
"Corn?" flared Dave. "Something to eat, of course! Tom, you'rehopeless when it comes to the finer things of life. You oughtto have been born in a pen, close to a well-filled trough. Corn,indeed!"
"This country would probably be bankrupt if there were no corncrop, and you'd be digging hard for a living, instead of beinga lazy schoolboy," retorted Reade, with an indulgent smile. "Letme see; how many hundred million dollars did Old Dut tell us theannual corn crop brings in wealth to this country?"
All of the other boys, save Dave, glanced at Tom, but all shooktheir heads. Statistics do not mix well in a Grammar School boy'shead.
"Oh, well, it was a lot of money, anyway," Tom pursued his subject."I wouldn't mind having all the money that the American corncrop brings."
"So you could buy the fanciest kin