“I only hope nothing happens to make me break into that game. I’m afraid that I’m too green as yet to go up against such seasoned veterans as those fellows,” he observed, with a shake of the head to emphasize his fears.
“You’re too modest, old fellow, by half. Don’t you call our regular nine just as well seasoned, and didn’t you hold us down to five hits yesterday, and one of those a base scratch? I’d just like to see those hustling batters from the smoky town breaking their backs trying to get up against that fine healthy ball you throw, that’s all,” and Frank felt of the muscle in the arm of his comrade, at the same time raising his eyes as if in wonder.
“But you didn’t come here to tell me just that, Frank?” continued Ralph! “there’s something more, isn’t there?”
“Why, yes, to tell the truth, I wanted to have a quiet little chat with you.”
“All right. Will you come up to my room?” eagerly asked Ralph.
“I hate to stay indoors this beautiful June morning. Get your cap and let’s walk out along the river road. We can be alone there, and at the same time enjoy what both of us love—Nature.”
“All right, Frank. Wait up just a minute, will you?”
In a short time they had left the confines of the town behind them, and found themselves under the trees along a favorite drive that followed the course of the picturesque Harrapin river.
The spring rains had come rather late, and the water was unusually high for the time of year. It was boiling along at quite a merry pace, gurgling, and in some places creating quite a furore.
“Now, what was it you wanted to tell me, Frank?” asked Ralph, when they had been walking briskly along for a mile or so, with Frank so busied in his thoughts that he had apparently quite forgotten the real reason for their morning exercise.