“Perhaps Dan will make it when he becomes the pitcher of the Tait School nine,” suggested Mr. Borden good-naturedly. “Don’t give up too easily, Walter. One never can tell what may come, but in business I have learned at least one thing which would have been of help to you if you had known it before your interview with Dan.”
“What is that?”
“Never give the ‘other fellow’ the chance to say ‘no.’”
“I don’t see how you can help it sometimes.”
“That’s one of the things you have to learn by experience. Now I’ll go over to see the great ‘strike-out’ pitcher. Let me see now; I must be sure of my ground. Was it twenty that Dan struck out?”
“I sha’n’t tell you any more that it was fifteen,” replied Walter a little crossly as he became aware that his father was good-naturedly making fun of him.
“Where will you be, Walter, when I come back?”
“Right here on the piazza.”