“Now hold ’em, boys!” cried Ready, waltzing down to third. “We must show these fresh chaps that they are not in the same class as our great and mighty aggregation.”
Dismal Jones really tried to smile when he walked out with a bat, but the effort seemed to cause him pain, and it was very distressing in its effect.
Dick found that Jones was determined to make him put the ball over, and he finally did so, which gave Dismal the opportunity he wanted. It was a gentle little hit, but the ball dropped beyond the infield, and Jones landed on first base.
It is possible that Dick regarded Skelding as too easy, but Gene did not hit the ball fair and hard. It went down to Ready on a slow bound, and Jack stopped it awkwardly, letting it get out of his hands. When he picked it up to throw it was too late to make a double play, and Skelding was well down toward first.
Jack would have sent the ball across, but, fearing for a wild throw, Merry shouted for him to hold it. Ready had made the first error for the Merries.
But now came Hans Dunnerwurst.
“Mofe your fielders avay off nearer!” he cried, with a wave of his short arm. “I vos goin’ to knock der pall der elefated railroadt ofer alretty soon.”
Dick remembered that the Dutch youth had secured a most unexpected two-bagger the first time up, and this put the lad at his best. He used his best speed and a jump ball till two strikes were called; then he resorted to a drop.
Dunnerwurst hit the ball straight to Ready, and hit it hard. It went on a line. Jack froze to it, held it, and threw to second.
Both runners had started when the ball was hit, and Jones had not even stopped running for third when the ball whistled past his head on its way to second.