[CHAPTER XXV]
THREE OUT
Mr. Cummings, who had not failed to inquire anxiously between the innings how Tom felt, and who had on each occasion received the same answer, “Fine, thanks, sir!” found Tom’s reply this time less reassuring.
“I’m all right, Mr. Cummings,” Tom said. “I’ll be glad when it’s over, though. It’s the first time I’ve pitched nine innings to real batters, sir.”
“Arm getting tired?” asked Mr. Cummings solicitously.
Tom shook his head and smiled. “No, sir, it’s my head. I never knew before,” he added, “that a pitcher did so much pitching with his head!”
“Well, just you keep it up, son. You’ve done great work so far. Don’t you let ’em get at you this time!”
“I’ll try not to,” replied Tom quietly, slipping out of his coat.
But the pace had been hard, and Tom was feeling it now. He put himself in a hole with the first batsman when what should have been a straight one went wild, an out-shoot missed the plate by an inch and a drop was judged too low by the umpire. With three balls and no strikes, Tom recalled Mr. George’s advice and shook his head when Sam asked for an in-shoot. Instead he sent a ball straight over, fast but with nothing on, and scored a strike. Again Sam wanted a curve, and again Tom shook his head. This time, with a change of pace, he tried a slow ball in the groove, and the batsman struck and missed.
“He can’t do it again, Jimmy! Make it be good, old scout!” shouted the coach on first.