Bart gasped, while his dark face seemed to get redder and hotter.
"Why, he can't catch!"
"Much better than you think. He is a pretty fair catcher."
"And if he falls down?"
"I'll put some one else in. I have two or three in mind, and have spoken to two of them."
Hodge seemed stunned.
"I'm willing to catch!" he said.
"You may, Bart, if I see that Ready can't do the work. If the game seems about to be lost I'll go into the pitcher's box and you behind the bat, and we'll pull the nine out of the hole! Eh?"
Hodge's eyes brightened strangely.
"We can do it, Merry! I'll be as steady as a clock. Only I'm sorry things went the way they did and that I showed how mean I can be. I only proved what my enemies say of me. It's too late now, but I'm ready to do what I can to make it right."