“Wait a minute, me friend,” he advised. “Don’t judge by appearances. Appearances are often mighty deceiving.”
He then signaled to Dick for a rise, and Randolph swung at the ball. Once more the batter touched it, but this time he put up a high foul.
Without removing the mask, Hoboson got under the ball and easily smothered it as it came down.
“Dern his picter, he done something, anyhow!” cried Obediah Tubbs, in relief.
“This is just the beginning,” said Hoboson, as he tossed the ball back to Dick. “Don’t be afraid of your wing, me boy. Let it out. Speed ’em over, and see me take care of this end of the diamond.”
Still Dick was cautious, and he tried a slow bender on Brodie. The Rockford catcher hit the ball into the diamond and it took a high bound. Merriwell leaped into the air and caught it with his left hand, having plenty of time to throw to the plate, which put Torrey out, as he was forced. Like a flash, and with perfect accuracy, Hoboson lined the sphere into Singleton’s hands for a double play, and Brodie was out at first, having failed to reach the sack in time.
For a moment the spectators seemed dazed, and then Brick McLane let out a wild roar of delight. Up he jumped and jerked his arms wildly as he led the cheering of the watching islanders.
“Jest as e—easy!” laughed Hoboson, bowing toward the applauding crowd. “Couldn’t help it if I tried!”
As the Fairhaven team gathered at the bench, it was apparent that none of the boys cared about sitting down too close to Hoboson. Still they praised him for his work until he rather impolitely invited them to “shut up.”
Although Merriwell led off with a clean two-bagger, Kennedy’s skill proved too much for the three batters following, and Dick was left on second.