Hayward seized a bat and rushed up to the plate, in order not to give Frank a chance to limber up by throwing a few over to first. Frank looked at the fellow a moment, simply observing:
“That’s all right, my friend.”
“I’m glad it is,” sneered Hayward. “Put ’em over, and I’ll bust the stitches in the old thing.”
The action of the batter had placed Merry on his mettle, and he gave the fellow a sharp in shoot at the start.
Hayward fancied the ball was straight over, and he swung hard. It was a foul. As they were playing the game under old rules, this did not count against the batter.
“Try another,” he urged.
Frank seemed to do so, but the ball dropped sharply just before reaching the batter, and Hayward did not touch it.
“That’s pretty clever!” said the batter. “Try another, young fellow.”
Merry now assumed a position that told Hodge he would resort to the double-shoot. He started the ball straight at Hayward, who jumped back, only to see it give a queer double twist and cut a corner of the plate. The umpire, however, fancied his eyes had deceived him, and called a ball.
Again Merry used the double-shoot, but this time he reversed the curves, and Hayward did not lift his bat from his shoulder. He was amazed and disgusted when the umpire called a strike.