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THE PURPLE PENNANT

making friends; he appeared to do it without conscious effort; there had never been on his part any seeking for popularity.

Lanny cranked the car and seated himself beside Dick. Fully half the students were journeying toward the field, either to take part in practice or to watch it, and the two boys in the runabout answered many hails until they had distanced the pedestrians.

"This," said Lanny, as they circumspectly crossed the car-tracks and turned into Main Street, "is just the sort of weather the doctor ordered. If it keeps up we'll really get started."

"This is April, though," replied Dick, "and everyone knows April!"

"Oh, we'll have more showers, but once the field gets dried out decently they don't matter. I suppose it'll be pretty squishy out there to-day. What we ought to do, Dick, is have the whole field rolled right now while it's still soft. It's awfully rough in right field, and even the infield isn't what you'd call a billiard table."

"Wish we could, Lanny. But I guess if we get the base paths fixed up we'll get all that's coming to us this spring. Too bad we haven't a little money on hand."

"Oh, I know we can't look to the Athletic Association

for much. I was only wondering if we

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