“Come on! Let’s find him!” sang out Duncan, and dashed down the aisle before the rising crowd got under way. Sam followed. They rushed out into the field and made for the close circle gathering rapidly round the catcher.
“I’ll wait for you,” said Sam. “He won’t care anything about me.”
“Won’t he!” cried Duncan. “Come and see!” And dragging Sam along behind him, he screwed his way into the cluster at the centre of which Owen was fighting off the vehement attentions of admirers. At the sight of Duncan he broke through the circle and pulled the boy in.
“Duncan Peck! I was wondering whether you were here. Didn’t we have luck! Glad to see you, Archer. How are things at Seaton?”
But before the question could be answered, the questioner was rushed in another direction, and Sam and Duncan found themselves whirled to the outside of the circle.
Sam looked at his watch. “There’s just forty-five minutes before the train leaves. We’ve got to hustle to catch it! We promised to take it, you know.”
“I suppose we did,” sighed Duncan. “I hate to leave now. I haven’t seen Don at all. Go ahead!”
CHAPTER XXV
JUNE TO DECEMBER
It was well for our young men that they could share Owen’s victory, for Patterson, their school captain, gave them none of their own to enjoy. A pitcher cannot win a game alone; and Patterson’s cleverness availed only to keep the Hillbury score down; his followers balked his efforts with errors, and only O’Toole hit the Hillbury pitcher with any readiness.