Ooh, I felt terrible. I had an awful headache
and I was exhausted! Still, I was determined to show them that I could
make good, and I went out there and won that game six against one!
"With that," continued the shadow, "I felt sure I'd be offered a
contract. So after the game, I went to Mr. Frisbee and said, 'Welp, I
showed you I could deliver the goods. Can we talk about a contract
now?'
"'Oh,' he says to me. 'Keokuk is in last place. Wait until Oskaloosa
comes in this weekend. They are in second place. They are a rough team,
and if you can beat them, then we'll talk.'
"'Can't I get any money--any advance money--on my contract?' I asked
him.
"'You haven't got a contract,' he said.
"'All right,' says I, and I didn't say another word. I knew that he was
right. I'd have to prove myself before I could expect any handouts from
this man. So I stayed quiet. I didn't say anything to anybody that
evening. But when it got dark, I went down to the railway station, and
the same stationmaster was there. He remembered me.
"'Hey!' he says. 'You pitched a fine game today! I was there, and you
did a great job! What are you doing back here? Did you come to give me
that free ticket you promised me?'
"'No,' I said to him sadly.
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