He heard Frank say that he had written to several of his friends, and the trio of young athletes began to discuss the possibility of getting enough of the old crowd together to form a ball-team. They spoke of the excitement of the games and the sport they could have, and Dick Merriwell’s interest increased steadily as he listened.
“I’d give anything to see one of those games!” he told himself.
When the three went out to practise Dick accompanied them, and, after that first day, he did not hesitate to try to catch the batted balls. To him it seemed that these efforts were rather discouraging, for he often muffed or misjudged them; but he did not know that both Ready and Hodge had told Merry that the way in which he handled himself and clung to the ball was astonishing for a chap of his years who had never seen a ball before.
Inwardly Frank was well pleased about the interest Dick was taking, but he did not betray his feelings, nor did he praise the boy. Instead of praising, he sometimes criticized. However, he did not permit his criticism to savor of ridicule.
Merry well knew that some natures can be much better spurred on by criticism than by praise, and it is often the case that praise seems positively harmful to a growing boy or a developing youth. He had seen many good ball-players spoiled by praise, while few had been harmed, to his knowledge, by criticism.
Occasionally a lad may be able to stand praise, which may serve to spur him on; and, once in a while, severe criticism is absolutely harmful. Once in a while a boy may be ridiculed into doing his best, but always ridicule is a last resort, for it generally does more harm than good.
Frank knew that a proud and sensitive lad like Dick could not stand ridicule, although what seemed like honest criticism would arouse his nature and lead him to persistent effort. So Merry avoided any show of ridicule when he spoke freely of Dick’s failings.
Ready would have praised the lad openly, but Merriwell took care to warn Jack against doing so. Hodge did not need such a warning, as he was not in the habit of praising anybody, with the single exception of Frank.
Merry’s critical words cut Dick deeply, seeming to arouse a tempest of anger within him.
“He thinks I’m not as smart as the boys who go to schools!” the indignant lad told Felicia one day.