Chapter I: Preface

Although a complete tale in itself, this story forms the second volume in a series devoted to sports in the forest, on the water, and on the athletic field.

In the first volume of the series, entitled, "The Gun Club Boys of Lakeport," I took some boys of Lakeport into the depths of the forest during the winter months. Here, in company with a trusted old hunter, they succeeded in bringing down game of various kinds and in learning many of Nature's secrets which, in the past, had been unknown to them.

With the coming of summer the thoughts of the boys turned to baseball, and it was not long before an amateur nine of no mean ability was organized. Challenges were both sent out and received; and in this volume a number of the games played are described in detail. The rivalry, as in all small towns, was of the "red-hot" variety, and the particulars are also given of a plot to injure the Lakeport nine and thus make them lose the most important game of all.

_Baseball_ is pre-eminently an American game and as such will probably remain the leading athletic sport of village, town, city, school and college for years to come. It is not such a rough game by far as football, the individual plays, good and bad, are more readily followed, and because of these points it should be encouraged at every opportunity.

The writer of this story is a good deal of a baseball "rooter," and consequently the penning of the tale has been more of a pleasure than a task. Many of the plays described are such as I have myself seen on the diamond. In a few instances team work which would do credit to a professional nine is mentioned, but such mentioning is in strict conformity to facts.

EDWARD STRATEMEYER.

CONTENTS

I. A BALL GAME ON THE GREEN

II. HARRY GETS INTO DIFFICULTY

III. A BIT OF A MYSTERY

IV. HARRY'S SECRET

V. ORGANIZING THE CLUB

VI. ON THE LAKE

VII. ADVENTURES ON THE ISLAND

VIII. PRACTICING ONCE MORE

IX. A BOY AND A BULL

X. THE FIRST CHALLENGE

XI. THE LAST DAY AT SCHOOL

XII. FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP

XIII. PAUL'S GREAT CATCH

XIV. AN UNEXPECTED ENCOUNTER

XV. SWIMMING IN THE LAKE

XVI. THE FINDING OF THE SLOOP

XVII. IN WHICH THE CLUB'S OUTFIT DISAPPEARS

XVIII. AN EXPOSURE, AND WHAT FOLLOWED

XIX. THE GAME AT BROOKSIDE

XX. HARE AND HOUNDS

XXI. STOPPED BY TRAMPS

XXII. A GAME AND A PLOT

XXIII. THE KIDNAPPING OF JOE AND FRED

XXIV. ON PINE ISLAND AGAIN

XXV. TRYING TO GET HOME

XXVI. PREPARATIONS FOR THE GREAT GAME

XXVII. A RACE AGAINST TIME

XXVIII. THE GREAT GAME BEGUN

XXIX. THE WINNING RUN

XXX. AFTER THE GAME--CONCLUSION

ILLUSTRATIONS

HE HELD THE BALL ALOFT

ORGANIZING THE CLUB

DOWN CAME THE BAT ON THE BULL'S HEAD

THE OUTFIT DISAPPEARS

"NOW MARCH!"

HARRY CAME LIKE A WHIRLWIND

THE BASEBALL BOYS OF LAKEPORT