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Phil never had done that with Stan.
    In a way, when you thought about it, Phil was a strange sort of guy.
    Gary played the entire game at short against the Red Devils. Once, a double-play ball, he threw the pill too hard to Stan
     just as he had done before, and Stan missed it.The very next pitch was hit for a grounder and Stan didn’t get his glove down low enough. The ball sizzled through his legs
     to the outfield and a run scored.
    “The coach must be blind if he thinks you’re an infielder,” said Gary with a very angry look on his face.
    A double drove in another run for the Red Devils. Stan was glad when Fuzzy Collins took his place in the fourth inning.
    Two runs were all the Red Devils scored. The Falcons beat them, 5 to 2.
    They trimmed the Comets, 11 to 1, and on August 4 they played the Steelers again. No team was worried about the Steelers.
     Whoever had named that team must have figured that they would be tough as nails. But the Steelers were in the cellar and by
     the looks of things would stay there.
    The Falcons had a field day against them. Everybody batted around at least three times, and some four and five. Stan and Garypulled off two sparkling double plays. Two other times Gary snapped the ball too wildly for Stan to catch. Gary said nothing
     at these times, as if he knew Stan couldn’t possibly have caught those throws.
    The Falcons had a lot of men left on. Otherwise the score would have been worse than 9 to 3.
    Picture post cards came from Phil. They were stamped in Atlanta, Georgia; Memphis, Tennessee; and Nashville, Tennessee.
    “Boy! He’s really traveling!” murmured Stan excitedly.
    Then, for a few days during the second week of Phil’s vacation, there was no word from him.
    “He’s sent us a card almost every day,” Mom said. “Guess he wants to rest a while.”
    But Mom looked worried. Of course there was no reason why she should be worried, but Mom was like that. Dad got a little disgusted
     with her.
    “He’s a man now, Jen. He can take care of himself. You have to get used to that fact.”
    “I know,” Mom said quietly. “But it isn’t easy.”
    And then, exactly on the day that was to end Phil’s two weeks’ vacation, Mom and Dad received a letter from him.
    Hello, everybody! Sorry I haven’t dropped you even a post card these last few days, but I’ve been very busy. Doing what? Well,
     listen! I have just signed with Harport! Yes, I’m back with them, and I’m happy! I’ll have to come home for some of my things,
     and to tell my boss I’m quitting. Until then, be good and be cheerful!
    Love,
    Phil

13
    P hil flew home and Dad drove to the airport to meet him. Stan went along, too, excited as ever over the news about Phil’s playing
     professional baseball again.
    Phil had barely climbed down the steps from the plane when Stan rushed up to him and asked:
    “How are you doing, Phil? Are you hitting that apple?”
    Phil grinned, and pinched Stan’s nose as he sometimes did. “Maybe not like Mantle, but I’m hitting. Let’s wait till I get
     home and I’ll tell you all about it. Right now I’m so hungry I could eat a bear!”
    Mom and Dottie kissed Phil as if he hadbeen away a year. Then Mom cooked a quick meal and everybody sat around the table listening to Phil talk while he tried to
     eat.
    “Oh, let the poor boy eat,” said Mom.
    But whenever Phil said anything, she was all ears too.
    “So you took your vacation just for the purpose of trying out with Harport again,” said Dad, grinning.
    “That’s right,” answered Phil between bites, his glance swinging from one to the other. “I wanted to play baseball again.
     Matter of fact, nobody really knows how much I missed it and wanted to play.”
    His eyes rested on Stan for a moment, then turned away. I know, Stan thought. I know
exactly
how he felt.
    Phil said he had to return to Harport day after tomorrow. They were playing a night game.
    “Oh, boy!” said Stan, and looked up at Dadwith wide,