When he left that hospital the student from South Carolina was cured completely of his bullying ways, and Frank Merriwell had made a new and stanch friend.
Still, Mason was strangely proud, and he would not force himself on any one, for which reason it happened that he never became one of Merriwell’s recognized “flock.”
Deep in his heart Mason had often longed to join the jolly band of Merriwell’s friends, but his pride had held him back.
Now, when Frank came and asked him to get out for practise in the cage, Hock was ready enough to do so, even though it seemed really preposterous that he could ever make sufficient advancement to have a show to get onto the nine.
Bertrand Defarge was among the men who had taken his regular amount of work in the cage day after day, and he was showing up pretty well, too. But Frank knew Defarge of old, and he was aware that such a fellow, though full of vigor, fire, and intensity at times, could not always be relied upon, having a temper that conquered and swayed him absolutely at times.
Of course, Frank was on hand, and it was his presence in the cage that seemed to make the marvelous change in things, so that the men went at their work with a gingery earnestness that quite surprised and wholly delighted the hitherto disgusted and disheartened coaches.
And Frank had managed to keep himself in excellent form, so that he remained the admiration and marvel of the athletic-loving students. He began his pitching-work easily, however, knowing the folly of starting off with too much vigor, even though he was in perfect condition.
Even Frank was not above taking advice from the coachers, although it is probable that not one man among them knew more about baseball and the work of getting into trim for it than did Merry himself.
If any one watched the first day to see him throw some samples of the “double-shoot” that person was disappointed, for he indulged in nothing of the kind.
But he still had it at his command, as he very well knew, and his wrist was hard as iron. When the time came he would swiftly convince his doubting opponents that the “double-shoot” was not a fanciful invention of some romancer’s brain.