The Rival Pitchers Part 27

"And I can't do that," declared Tom to himself. "I'll have to find some other way. I'll make one more try with Langridge."

Sid's limp did not save him in Latin, for he "slumped" most ungracefully, and with a black look Professor Tines marked a failure against him, accompanying it with words of warning. As for Tom, his worry over the secret caused him to pay too scant attention in his geography cla.s.s, and he was caught napping, whereat the instructor looked surprised, for Tom was one of the best students.

The next day the scrub team went on a little trip to Morriston to play a small semi-professional nine, and Tom had a chance to show what he could do in the box. He gave a fine exhibition of pitching, so much so that the other nine was held down to a goose-egg score, and there were very few hits secured off Tom. The scrubs were wild about it and held a celebration, for it was the best victory they had scored yet.

During the next few days Tom saw little of Langridge. In fact the 'varsity pitcher seemed to be keeping out of the way of the lad who had remonstrated with him.

"I'll see him at the Boxer game Sat.u.r.day," thought Tom. "If I get a chance, I'll make one more attempt, though I'm afraid it won't do any good."

The next Boxer contest was a sort of annual mid-season affair. It was a game which members of the alumnae of both colleges made it a point to attend in even greater numbers than at the contests deciding the champions.h.i.+p. In fact of late years there had been no chance for such exhibitions, for Randall did not have a "look in" at the pennant, as Holly Cross used to say.

The game was to take place on the Randall grounds, and before the hour when it was to be played the stands and bleachers began filling up. It was a beautiful afternoon about the middle of May and a better one for a game could not have been had, even if made to order.

Oh, how Tom wanted to play! But he could only look on. The regular team came out for practice, with the subst.i.tutes waiting for a chance to go in. Then out trotted the Boxer Hall lads, to be received with a cheer. There were pretty girls galore, each one waving the flag of her particular college. Tom moved about in the grandstand, trying to pretend to himself that he was not looking for any one, but all the same his heart gave a great thump when he heard some one call:

"Tom! Mr. Parsons!"

"Why, how do you do, Miss Tyler?" he exclaimed. "I didn't know you were coming."

"Oh, yes, I wouldn't miss this for anything. I just love to see the old graduates. They are so interesting, just as if they were boys again."

She made room for Tom beside her, and he gladly availed himself of the chance.

"Yes, there are quite a few of the old boys on hand to-day," he remarked. "Look at those two," and he pointed to two well-dressed men, each attired in a tall silk hat and a frock coat. They each had a gold-headed cane and they were very staid in looks, yet at the sight of each other they rose in their seats, clasped hands across the heads of intervening persons and one, the elder, cried out:

"Well, well! If it isn't old Skeeziks! How are you? I haven't seen you since I graduated in '73!"

"Nor me you, you old fish-pedler! How are things? Do you remember the day we kidnaped Mrs. Maguire and took all her chickens?"

"Hus.h.!.+ Not so loud!" cautioned the other, his face breaking into smiles.

"The faculty never found out who did that, and there's no use telling now. But I am glad to see you. Do you think our boys will win?"

"I hope so, though I see by the papers they haven't been playing as good ball as when we went to school. They need a little ginger."

"That's right. I wish I was young again. We certainly had some great games."

On all sides similar scenes were being enacted and like reminiscences were being exchanged. It was a great day for the "old grads," and they took advantage of it. Many there were also from Boxer, though they occupied a different part of the grandstand. However, they exchanged visits with their former rivals during the practice.

Ford Fenton was in his element. His uncle, who had been a coach at Randall, was on hand, and Ford was showing him off as if he was a prize animal at a county fair.

Ford wanted to take his uncle around and introduce him to his cla.s.smates, but Mr. Fenton declined, as he wanted to meet some of his old friends.

But this did not deter Ford from going about telling the news, and about all he could be heard to say was:

"My uncle, the former coach, is here. He came to see the game. My uncle says----"

Then the long-suffering ones would turn away, or if they were lads who had no particular regard for Ford's feelings, they would guy him unmercifully.

"Hi, Ford!" cried Holly Cross after about half an hour of this sort of thing, "have you heard the latest?"

"No. What is it?"

"Why, 'my uncle' says that if you don't stop talking about him, he's going to leave and take you with him. He says he's being 'uncled' to death."

"Ha! ha!" laughed Dutch Housenlager. "That's right, Ford, that's right,"

and he pretended to collide accidentally with the lad, knocking him against Holly, who promptly pushed him back.

But now practice was over. The rival captains were in conference, the umpire was taking the new ball from the tinfoil wrapping and the spectators were settling back for the contest.

"Boxer has improved since the other game," said Tom, who had been critically watching the teams at practice.

"That's what I heard," replied Miss Tyler. "Oh, I do hope our boys will win!"

"So do I," exclaimed Tom as he watched Langridge, who was first to go to the bat, in this game the visitors winning the privilege of being last up. Tom tried to notice the 'varsity pitcher, to see if he was in good form, but he could not judge then.

"Play ball!" called the umpire, and Dave Ogden, the Boxer pitcher, drew back his arm to deliver a swift curve.

CHAPTER XIX

TOM IN COLD WATER

Langridge at the first effort sent out a hot liner, which flew just over the pitcher's head. The second baseman made a jump for it and the ball began to roll along in front of the center fielder. Amid a wild burst of yells Langridge raced for first and got there safely, not daring to go on to second, as Ogden had run down to help cover it.

"That's the stuff! that's the stuff! That's the way to line 'em out!"

chanted an excited voice, and Tom looked around to see the two silk-hatted "old grads" embracing each other and doing an impromptu dance in their seats.

"Aren't they jolly!" exclaimed Miss Tyler.

"Very, but they're crowing too soon. The game has only just begun. Boxer Hall will play strong."

And Tom's prediction came true, for in spite of the auspicious opening by Langridge, not a man crossed home plate for the Randalls that inning, the pitcher dying on third. Then it came the turn of the home team to show what they could do in holding down the visitors. It looked as if they were going to do it, too, for Langridge struck out the first two men. But he gave the next one a pa.s.s to first and was batted for a two-bagger by the following player, the inning ending with one run for Boxer. The Randall College boys and their girl supporters began to look anxious and so did some of the "old grads." On the other side there was laughter, cheers and jollity, while some of the aged former students of Boxer began to chant oldtime college songs.

"Oh, I do hope our fellows win," exclaimed Miss Tyler, and there was an anxious look on her pretty face, while she tapped her flag of colors impatiently against her little foot.

"Have you a bet on the game?" asked Tom. "A box of candy or some gloves?"

"No, but I want to see Randall win. Besides, Fred--I mean Mr.

Langridge--he told me he was going to work hard for success, and I never like to see any one disappointed--do you?"

"No," said Tom rather shortly. He really did not care to hear his rival's praises sung by this fair damsel.

"Do you know," she went on, "I've been thinking of what you started to tell me about him the other day. Is it really true?"

"Well," began Tom slowly, "if you will excuse the privilege of a friend who has known you for some time, I would say that I don't believe your people would like you to go with him."