Page:Stanwood Pier--Harding of St Timothys.djvu/245

Rh their first practice in their shells—the whole school seemed more than ever active and alive.

Herrick was rowing on one of the crews, but Harry had been dropped from the squad entirely. He turned at first to scrub baseball, hoping to develop in that enough skill to win a place later on the Corinthian team. But he nearly always struck out when he tried to bat, and he soon realized that the ball-field was not one that he could adorn.

Then he began training for the half-mile run. He had pretty good "wind," and he was confident that if he worked hard he would be chosen to compete in the June sports.

Indeed, a sort of fear was urging him on now in these efforts, a feeling that he must succeed in order not to be ridiculous. At this season of the year, when other boys were performing exploits on pond or field, his own athletic prowess at football seemed very small and remote; and if he was to stand up as president of the athletic association and feel really comfortable, he must take some part in the athletics of this term.