“I’ll bet they don’t catch it then,” said Dick.
“But they do,” asserted the girl. “Then others run and get under it, and catch it with their bare hands.”
“It must be soft,” said the boy.
His curiosity was aroused, and, after a time, he permitted Felicia to lure him down to the open valley, where they could watch Frank, Bart, and Jack practising.
In short order Dick became intensely interested, and it was not long before he ventured out where the trio were, Felicia following now.
Indeed, it seemed rather surprising that the ball could be batted so far into the air and caught with such ease, even though the one who caught it sometimes had to run with all his might to get under it when it came down.
“Could you do that, Dick?” asked Felicia.
“Of course I could!” he answered, for he did not wish her to think there was any such accomplishment possessed by these tenderfoots that he did not also have.
Now, it happened that Jack Ready heard the question and the answer.
“What, ho!” he cried. “Here is another player for our ball-team. Stand forth, Richard, and show your skill.”