“And I hope you do better than I did,” remarked Jim Blake good-naturedly. He was enough of a real sport to put the team ahead of himself.
“I ought to have a little warm-up practice before I go in,” Ned suggested.
“Get over there and practice,” said Frank. “We’re at bat now, and Jake Porter can catch for you. No, I’d better do it myself, as I’m going to be behind the plate.”
Frank was a good catcher, and it must be admitted that he had not been at fault so far in the contest. It was the other players. And once he had made up his mind to play our three heroes, he did not do it half-heartedly.
He did not act in a friendly manner toward Ned, but in practice he put forth his best efforts, and urged the new pitcher to do his best to “sting them in,” which Ned did.
“Now, boys, we’re out to win!” exclaimed Frank, when Charlie Moore went up to bat to open the fifth inning, Kenwell having won the toss, and, as usual, chosen to go up last.
The mere fact that Ned, Bob and Jerry had been put in the game seemed to have inspired confidence at once, for Charlie, who was a notoriously poor hitter, singled for the first time in a long while, and went to first amid cheers. And when Jerry knocked a three bagger, bringing Charlie in, and adding to the slender score of Boxwood Hall, there was a riot of cheers on the stands opposite those occupied by the military lads. Then another single by Sid Lenton brought in Jerry, and made the score eight to three, in favor of Kenwell.
“Oh, I guess we’ll pull up all right,” said Jim Blake, from his position in retirement.
“There’s a lot to do yet,” Ted Newton reminded him. “The game is a good way from being in the ice-box, as far as Boxwood Hall is concerned. But those three fellows are going to help a lot.”