Now, danger was the very thing that served as a lure to lead the boy on, and he retorted:
“Oh, I’m going to try it some more. I like it.”
Frank sent in another swift one, and again Jack failed to hit it, though he struck at it handsomely.
“The double-shoot!” he shouted. “Oh, Laura! but that was a peach! It twisted both ways as quick as a flash.”
“What is he talking about?” muttered Dick. “I didn’t see it twist.”
He moved around to get another position, and chance happened to lead him behind Bart, at some distance.
Then, when Frank pitched again, Dick saw the ball come whistling straight ahead, and suddenly dart off to one side, while Ready missed it a third time.
“Nothing but an out!” said Jack, in disgust. “And I thought it was going to be another double.”
“No wonder he can’t hit it,” thought Dick. “Why, the ball didn’t go straight! I wonder what made it go off to one side like that.”
The next one, however, amazed him more than anything else he had seen, for it seemed to start curving one way, and then suddenly change and curve the other.