“Oh, they’ll work for this game if they get it!” said Hodge.
“Haw! haw!” laughed Tinker mockingly. “Don’t pat yourself on the back so soon. The game is young.”
He walked out to hit.
All the Elks were inclined to be sarcastic and mocking, but they were beginning to realize that it would be no easy thing to run up a safe score early in the game. The Merries were out to win if such a thing could be done.
Frank knew Tinker was inclined to bat the ball into the air, and he pitched with the idea of compelling the fellow to do this. In the end he succeeded, for the batter put up a slow and easy one to Badger, who smothered it.
The second inning was over, and neither side had made a run.
“He won’t last,” declared Wolfers. “He’ll take a balloon trip, same as the other chap did.”
“They never can score off you, Bob,” declared Sprowl.
“Not in a thousand years,” grinned the Elkton pitcher. “It would be a disgrace.”
Then he went into the box and handed Browning one on which Bruce made a clean single.