Page:The spirit of the leader (IA spiritofleader00heyl).pdf/177

 he could get a job. The judge refused him because he did not come into court with the proper spirit. Where my father works a young man lost his job because he would do only the things he had to do—just enough to get through with his job. That was not the proper spirit, either, so he was discharged. A school is built for study—other things come after that. If Martin had been worried about his studies and had also wanted to play baseball, I would have helped him. That would have been different. But he wasn't interested in anything except baseball, and I told him I wouldn't help him. And—" the Owl's thin body straightened—"and I won't help him and you needn't ask me to!"

"I wouldn't ask you to," Praska said softly. Later he reported the interview to Jennings. The coach bit his lips.

"So that's it," he said, and his eyes met Praska's. "Sometimes," he confessed, "you meet a spirit that makes you a little ashamed of your own. Well, I'll fight it out with the team I have. Perhaps I can give them some of this proper spirit."

Coming away, Jennings met Martin.

"Couldn't you talk the Owl into helping me?" the shortstop asked. "You ought to have some influence over him."