Page:The spirit of the leader (IA spiritofleader00heyl).pdf/176

 above 70 he'd be able to play next month. Jennings came to me to-day. I'm only bringing this up because you and Martin may have had a misunderstanding that can be straightened out."

"We had no misunderstanding," said the Owl. "I understood him and he understood me."

The reply was discouraging, yet Praska went on.

"Jennings says that Martin was anxious to make up those marks and that you refused to help him."

"Martin was not," the Owl said bluntly.

"Martin did not come to you for help?"

"He came to me, but he was not anxious about marks—not in the right way. He didn't want to study for class standing; he wanted to study for baseball. He told me that as soon as he got above 70 he wouldn't bother me any more. I refused to help him through on those conditions. He didn't have the proper spirit. You're not asking me to help him that way, are you?"

"No," Praska said promptly. Yet he was puzzled. "This matter of proper spirit—just what do you mean?"

"Remember the day Mr. Banning took us to the Naturalization Court? Judge Seifert refused a man citizenship. He had answered all the questions; but he wanted naturalization just so that