"I have to be easy with you, Gil, or I'd show you up, and you would lose your job."
"That's what I call wit!" exclaimed Merriwell, in appreciation. "Pop is all right. He'll get a hit."
He did. He cracked out Dayguild's first ball for an easy single, and laughed at the Rockland pitcher as he trotted down to first.
"Thought I wouldn't put it into the woods this time, Gil," he said.
"That's a good start to rattle Dayguild if they would get after him," said a Thomaston man.
But Camden made the mistake of splitting her coachers, putting one at third and one at first, and the men did not "open up" in a way to get the Rockland pitcher on the string.
Putbury, or "Old Put," followed Williamson. He was a left-hand hitter, and a good man, but Dayguild managed to give him the "evil eye" and struck him out.
"I'm afraid you won't get away from first, Pop," said Dayguild, winking at Williamson in a tantalizing manner.
"Oh, there's lots of time," returned the runner, calmly.
Cogern followed Putbury. He fanned twice, and then he cracked out a daisy cutter that looked like a safe hit, for it got past the pitcher and was going directly over second, with Smithers, the baseman, playing away off.