The boys talked of Yale’s prospects on the diamond, and Harry said:
“It strikes me that we are going to be weak behind the bat this year. What do you think, Merry?”
“There are several fellows who will try for the position.”
“Yes; but what do you know about them?”
“I don’t like to say.”
“Oh, come! You are with friends, and you may talk freely. What do you think of Ned Noon?”
“He is, in my estimation, one of the most promising men, but he can’t run, and bats weakly. Behind the bat he might work very well, but he would be weak in other directions.”
“That’s string as a straight—I mean, straight as a string,” cried Harry. “If Ned Noon stands a show to get on the ’varsity nine, there is hope for me.”
“Well, there’s Roger Stone,” put in Diamond. “What about him?”
“He can bat like a fiend,” said Frank, “but he is weak on his throwing. He’ll stop anything he can reach, but it takes him so long to get a ball to second base that a good runner can steal down from first every time. That is a big fault. Stone will not do.”