did happen?" they were asking. "Who's to blame? Who were the men in that plane?" Two men had been seen. They were not close enough to be recognized. Had the Centralia crowd hired them

every side. The mystery of the dark-skinn

rested Hillcrest's hopes of victory, h

ll have to go in there and win the game. And

olds out," F

favorite. He had been a successful pitcher until his arm had tak

ine. The score stood 6 to 5 against him. This wonderful crowd had turned out to see their team win. The

lp it!" Fred set

hey do to me the thing they did to the 'Prince,' whate

im back to earth. Motioning the batter to

n bands, as the ball went speeding to cut the plate and land with a

!" He set hi

had lost one game, could

m, with men on second and third and only one man out, the game might be lost with a sing

hrough his mind: "Who is this 'Prince'? What happened t

ered for the third time as

the umpi

sign to the catcher. They met half way between the mound a

ate. He did not seem to care. Then, just as he

llowed from the bleachers of the opposing team.

mad roar that ende

at a weak one, it was his privilege. "And after that?" an Imp seemed to be whisperin

. "Just listen to them howl

!" a big voice roared as th

e as Fred slippe

oar with the

rik

al

ce roared. "Two and three! L

ee balls, two strikes, and-"If only the

owed the ball. Lucky break! The batter connected. He sent a bouncer straight into Fred's mitt and he half way to

ared. And so it was. The inning was over

s with the skill of a genius. He allowed only five hits, and left but three men on base. Hillcrest sco

esday, and we'll win!

up to congratulate him. "This is not the end. It is only the beginning. We m

way Fred pitched those last innings,

." It was Fred who spoke. H

an?" Johnny ask

feel all sort of lifted out of yourself and you do things well without seeming to try. But when it's all over you say, 'That was great! But I better never try that again. If I

lf who at last br

e smiled. "Our old friend, the 'Prince'

uncle find him, Meggy? Who is he? Where's he been hi

now," Megg

ng down at his laboratories for more

esn't tell me much about the laboratories. There are always so many secret investigations going on down there, so many processes being developed-things he ca

e hide out so?"

nized, that's why," Johnny said i

e passing from lip to lip all over this quiet little city. "A strange pitcher! A mysterious dark stranger! And in a town li

have to have him next Wednesday when we go against Fairfield. They're the toughe

ted two and a half inn

to say was, "Something rather terrible happened to him."

ta be anklin' on home. Good

a ridge that lay above the town. Be

ered. "Place of mystery. Hom

ehind heavily glazed windows in the laboratories. Far from that. Colonel Chamberlain had

elf. "Wonder where he went? He always knows a lo

rlain's secrets. He alone, of all the town's boys, had crossed the threshold

y to find things out, to do things that have never been done before, like making rubber out of crude petroleum or paper out of sunflower st

ery," he went on, "they sell

e a lot of things I can't talk about. He says maybe some day I

es knows something about this 'Pr

. "Seems to drag his feet," Johnny whispered. Just then the newcomer looked up toward the sun. Johnny got a full view

se. Johnny decided to go on a little detective cruise all by himself. Mounting his bicycle, he rode east nine

Did any of you fly a plane over the

ger of the two men loo

nny dropped into a seat p

never a word, the young aviator looke

e said, turning to Johnn

guess," Joh

lookers, but well-dressed. Said they lived in Hillcrest. They wanted to go over the ball game. Kept telling me t

" Johnny

the young av

se I do.

we went down closer than I like to. Then we flew away. S

ying anything?

g that

anything

think? Think we operate a

hat." Johnny lap

tor stared at him hard. "W

ohnny's tone did not chan

to this one. A short while back I took a long trip, thousand miles or

when we were coming down. It

shing up. One said, 'Say! W

know,'

hem yelled. 'This is a Federal

ve right away.' That's

ed for breath. J

ights came on, bright as day, just long enough for me to

lane, there was a man with him, a slim, dark-faced man. He

y." Johnny spoke low. "Sho

with me that night, my passenger, was one of the best known and most hi

to himself, recalling the aviator's wo