“Few men do their best unless encouraged,” he said; “but all men cannot be encouraged in the same way.”
The main secret of Merriwell’s success in handling men was that he brought out the very best that was in them. Had Bart paused to think about this he would have known it was true, for Frank had developed in Hodge all the best qualities of the latter.
Frank directed Bart to fling aside his bat and put on his big catching-mitt. Then Merry batted to both infield and outfield, directing the throwing of each man. The throwing-practise was sharp and fairly good. Hodge overthrew second the first time he sent the ball down, but after that he sent the ball straight as a rifle-bullet.
“Runner on first and second!” called Frank. “Double play!”
He drove the ball to short, and Carson picked it up, snapped it to third, upon which Ready drove it to second in beautiful style.
“Sure double,” said Merriwell. “Runner on first, one man out, two strikes on the batter. Double ’em up.”
Down between first and second bounded the ball. Rattleton went out for it, his teeth set, and took it successfully. Then he wheeled and jerked it back to second. Carson had covered second when he saw Rattleton start after the ball, and he took the throw. The ball did not linger in his hands, but went whistling to first, where Browning smothered it.
“No mistake about that,” asserted Frank. “The swiftest runner in the country could not have made first on that.”
It was amazing how those fellows improved in a short time under Merriwell’s direction. Frank called them in, one at a time, to get batting-practise, Hodge putting on cage and body-protector.
“Come out here, Dick,” said Frank. “I want you to throw some, while I coach the batters.”