Page:The "Home-run king", or, How Pep Pindar won his title.djvu/152

136 and Doc Tupper was anything but happy over the prospects.

The preceding year, Lakewood had won two games out of the three and had also won the largest number of games of any of the secondary schools in that section and, therefore, Lakewood was considered the holder of the baseball championship. But, with Pep's ability with the bat and with a nine that was considerably stronger than the previous season, Doc had been building hopes of winning from Lakewood. He felt positive that, if he could win from Lakewood, Wingate surely would gain the championship.

Doc, not being so well acquainted with Pep, soon came to regard him with anything but real cordiality. Yet, as stated, he still urged Pep to remain on the team, although, of course, it was impossible for him to permit Pep to play in any regular game.

Thus things had run along until the Friday before the first game with Lakewood. The old spirit of affection that had been so close among the East Wingate chums was now seriously disrupted by what the boys regarded as Pep’s unreasonable attitude in not explaining the