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 Kewpie's budget of tricks. The first attempt sent the ball over Laurie's head and likewise over the fence. While Ned, sighing, went after it, Laurie indulged in gentle sarcasms. Kewpie thumped his glove with a bare fist and smiled genially. Then the ball came back, and Kewpie began again. Laurie picked the ball from the trampled turf between his feet and viewed Kewpie questioningly.

"Didn't you have some drop on that?" he queried.

"Sure," answered Kewpie. "Here's another. You watch it."

Laurie did watch it. And it did drop. A faint, new-born respect for Kewpie as a pitcher was reflected in his voice as he said: "That's not so poor, old thing. Where'd you learn it?"

But Kewpie was throwing his chest out now, a purely unnecessary thing for Kewpie to do, and strutting a bit. "Never you mind," he answered. "I told you I had something, and you wouldn't believe me."

"That's all right," remarked Ned, "but you've got to know more than just how to pitch